Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve to regulate and ensure the safety of civil aviation operations within the country. The 1998 Regulations were introduced to replace and consolidate existing legislation, thereby creating a comprehensive framework for the oversight of civil aviation safety. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the body responsible for enforcing these regulations, ensuring that they are implemented effectively to maintain the highest safety standards. One such enforcement mechanism is the issuance of Airworthiness Directives, which are directives aimed at correcting unsafe conditions in specific aircraft or aeronautical products. The Airworthiness Directive AD/A330/1, issued in 2002, is a pertinent example of this enforcement, addressing issues with pitot probes on Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes to mitigate safety risks associated with airspeed discrepancies in extreme meteorological conditions.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 concerning the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to the maintenance and operational standards of the Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes, particularly those with serial numbers that do not incorporate Airbus Industrie modifications 44836 or 45638 during production or service bulletins A330-34-3038 or A330-34-3071. This Airworthiness Directive targets the replacement of specific Rosemount pitot probes with either BFGoodrich Aerospace or Sextant probes to address the identified safety issue of airspeed discrepancies caused by ice crystals and/or water exceeding the probes' specification limits. The directive mandates compliance by 31 December 2003, with the directive becoming effective from 28 November 2002. The directive applies nationally within the Commonwealth of Australia, and its scope is extended through subordinate instruments as necessary to ensure compliance with air safety standards.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD/A330/1) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) specifically targets Airbus Industrie A330 Series aeroplanes, namely the A330-301, -321, -322, -341, and -342 series (section 1). This directive applies to aircraft that have not incorporated Airbus Industrie modifications 44836 or 45638 during production, or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletins (SB) A330-34-3038 or A330-34-3071 while in service (section 1). The key requirement of this directive is the removal of existing Rosemount pitot probes part number (P/N) 0851GR and their replacement with either BFGoodrich Aerospace P/N 0851HL probes in accordance with SB A330-34-3038, or Sextant P/N C16195AA probes in accordance with SB A330-34-3071 (section 1). This action is mandated to address safety concerns arising from discrepancies in airspeed readings under extreme meteorological conditions. Operators and owners of the affected A330 Series aeroplanes are obligated to comply with this directive by ensuring the specified pitot probes are replaced by the deadline of 31 December 2003 (section 1). The AD became effective on 28 November 2002, providing a clear timeline for compliance. This directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate, Barry James Reid McKay, who is authorised to enforce the requirements under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998 (section 1). Failure to adhere to this directive could result in non-compliance with safety regulations, potentially leading to safety issues or operational restrictions. The AD also references the French Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile’s findings that discrepancies in airspeed readings are likely due to the presence of ice crystals and/or water exceeding the current limits of the Rosemount pitot probes P/N 0851GR. This background information underscores the necessity of the directive to mitigate the risk of unsafe conditions in flight. The directive is further supported by DGAC AD 2001-354(B), indicating international collaboration and recognition of the safety issue. Failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directive could result in civil or criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the directive itself, non-compliance with ADs can typically result in enforcement actions by CASA, including fines, operational restrictions, or the grounding of the affected aircraft. The severity of penalties may vary based on the extent of non-compliance and the potential safety risks posed. Operators must ensure strict adherence to the AD to avoid such consequences and maintain the airworthiness of their aircraft.