Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended in 2006 through Legislative Instrument F2006B02176, was enacted to ensure the safety and airworthiness of civil aircraft in Australia. This particular regulation, part of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's schedule of airworthiness directives, targets the S.L. Industries Commander 100 Series and Volair 10 Series aeroplanes, focusing on the rudder control system. The regulation was introduced to address potential safety issues related to the rudder control arms of these specific aircraft models, ensuring that any cracks in these components are identified and rectified to maintain the integrity of the rudder system. Compliance with the directive is mandatory, requiring daily inspections and modifications within a specified timeframe to mitigate any potential risks associated with the identified problem.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations, specifically under Part 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, mandate adherence to Airworthiness Directives for certain aeroplanes. This legislation applies to S.L. Industries Commander 100 Series and Volair 10 Series aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from 001 to 250.8/68. The directive focuses on the rudder control system, requiring removal of paint over an area extending 3/4 of an inch aft of the cable attachment hole in the left and right rudder control arms (P/N 35321) to inspect for cracking using a 10 power glass. Furthermore, these rudder control arms must be modified in accordance with Aero Commander Service Bulletin No. 1009. The inspection must be carried out daily until the modification is completed, with the modification itself to be performed within 100 hours’ time in service from 1 August 1968. This regulation applies nationally within Australia, as CASA is a Commonwealth authority, and compliance is mandatory for the specified aircraft models within the given serial number range.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 105, require that all models of the S.L. Industries Commander 100 Series and Volair 10 Series aeroplanes, specifically those with serial numbers ranging from 001 to 250.8/68, undergo an inspection and modification of their rudder control systems. The requirement outlined in section 1 of AD/AC-100/7 mandates the removal of paint over a specified area aft of the cable attachment hole in both the left and right rudder control arms, part number 35321. This inspection must be conducted using a 10 power glass to check for any cracking. Following this, the arms must be modified in accordance with Aero Commander Service Bulletin No. 1009. The obligations and requirements imposed by the Act on the parties or entities it governs are straightforward yet critical for maintaining airworthiness standards. Operators of the specified aeroplanes must ensure that the daily inspections are conducted meticulously to identify any potential issues with the rudder control arms. Furthermore, modifications must be implemented within 100 hours of time in service from 1 August 1968, which underscores the urgency and importance of timely compliance with these directives to maintain safety standards. Failure to comply with the requirements set out in these regulations can lead to significant consequences. While the specific details of penalties are not exhaustively outlined within the legislative instrument, it is clear that non-compliance with airworthiness directives can result in both civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties might include fines and sanctions imposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). In more severe cases, criminal penalties could apply, potentially involving imprisonment or significant fines, depending on the severity and impact of the non-compliance on aviation safety. The exact maximum penalties would be detailed in other parts of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations, but the overarching principle is that compliance is mandatory to ensure the highest safety standards are maintained in civil aviation operations.