COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes
AD/A330/11 Pitot Probes 3/2003
Applicability: Model A330 series aeroplanes, all serial numbers (S/N) fitted with Thales Avionics pitot probes part number (P/N) C16195AA with a S/N lower than 4760.
Note 1: Thales Avionics was previously known as "Sextant" or "Sextant Avionique".
Note 2: P/N C16195AA pitot probes have been installed either during production in accordance with Airbus Industrie modification 45638 or whilst in service in accordance with Service Bulletin (SB) A330-34-3071.
Requirement: Unless already accomplished, clean the drain holes of the three pitot probes in accordance with the Thales Avionics SB C16195A-34-002 dated 17 October 2002.
Note 3: DGAC AD 2002-594(B) refers.
Compliance: Within 700 hours time in service after the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 20 March 2003.
Background: The Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile of France has advised that an operator reported airspeed discrepancy events on an A320 aircraft, investigations revealed that the discrepancies were caused by a manufacturing defect at the drain holes.
The manufacturing defect contributed to the accumulation of external pollution which, combined with severe weather conditions, obstructed the air intake of the pitot probes, leading to bad total pressure Pt detection and therefore erroneous CAS/MACH parameters delivered by the ADR.
James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 30 January 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 26 February 2003.
Page 1 of 1
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for civil aviation in Australia, addressing various aspects of aviation safety, operations, and certification. This Act was introduced to fill the gap in regulatory oversight necessary to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within Australia. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the entity empowered by the Australian Parliament to enforce these regulations. A key policy objective of the Act is to maintain the highest possible safety standards in civil aviation through rigorous oversight and compliance measures. One specific example of CASA's regulatory action is found in Airworthiness Directive AD/A330/11, issued in 2003, which mandates specific maintenance actions on Airbus A330 series aeroplanes to rectify identified safety issues related to pitot probes. This directive exemplifies CASA's commitment to proactive safety management by addressing potential hazards through targeted regulatory interventions.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 pertains specifically to Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes with serial numbers (S/N) fitted with Thales Avionics pitot probes part number (P/N) C16195AA that have a S/N lower than 4760. This AD is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address safety concerns identified in the pitot probes of these aircraft. The directive mandates that the drain holes of the three pitot probes must be cleaned in accordance with Thales Avionics Service Bulletin C16195A-34-002 dated 17 October 2002, unless this action has already been completed. The AD applies within 700 hours of time in service after the directive's effective date of 20 March 2003. This directive is intended to mitigate the risk of airspeed discrepancies due to a manufacturing defect in the pitot probes that can lead to erroneous airspeed readings under certain conditions.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly in Part 39, address various safety directives aimed at ensuring the airworthiness of aircraft. The specific Airworthiness Directive (AD) for the Airbus Industrie A330 series aeroplanes, identified as AD/A330/11, mandates specific actions to address an identified unsafe condition. This AD, effective from 20 March 2003, applies to A330 series aeroplanes equipped with Thales Avionics pitot probes part number C16195AA, excluding those with serial numbers 4760 and higher. The directive requires that the drain holes of the three pitot probes be cleaned as per Thales Avionics Service Bulletin (SB) C16195A-34-002 dated 17 October 2002. This action must be completed within 700 hours of time in service after the AD's effective date.
The AD imposes several obligations on the operators of the affected aircraft. They must ensure that the cleaning of the pitot probes' drain holes is performed in accordance with the specified service bulletin. This involves following detailed instructions provided by Thales Avionics to ensure that the cleaning process effectively removes any accumulated external pollution. Operators must also ensure that the required action is completed within the stipulated timeframe, which is 700 hours of time in service post the AD's effective date.
Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can lead to serious consequences. The primary risk is that the accumulation of external pollution in the pitot probes' drain holes may obstruct the air intake, leading to erroneous airspeed readings. This, in turn, can result in unsafe flight conditions and potentially hazardous situations. While the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance with an AD, non-compliance with airworthiness regulations generally can lead to severe civil and criminal penalties. These can include fines, suspension or revocation of an aircraft's airworthiness certificate, and potential prosecution for individuals responsible for the non-compliance. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the AD's requirements.