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 CASR 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.
Rolls Royce (Allison) Turbine Engines - AE 3007 Series
AD/AE 3007/2 Full Authority Digital Engine Control 9/2004
Applicability: Allison Engine Company Models AE 3007A, AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1/2, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1P, AE 3007A3, and AE 3007C turbofan engines with full authority digital electronic controls (FADEC).
Note 1: These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Embraer Model EMB-145, EMB-145ER, EMB-145MR, EMB-145LR, EMB-135ER, EMB-135LR and Cessna 750
aeroplanes.
Requirement: A FADEC that has a hardware serial number listed below may not be installed on any engine unless the FADEC hardware has been modified using Rolls-Royce (RR) Service Bulletin (SB) AE 3007A-73-042, Revision 1, dated 23 August 2000 or RR SB AE 3007C-73-024, Revision 1, dated 23 August 2000, as applicable, and the modification tag on the FADEC is marked with TR1 day/month. (For example, a repair that was accomplished on 25 September 2000 will show as TR1 25/09.)
Engine Model | | FADEC Hardware Serial Number |
AE 3007C | | BX55758, BX55760, BX55761, BX55763 through BX55765, BX55767, and BX61001 through BX61069 |
AE 3007A | AE 3007A1 | BX56348, BX56361 through BX56364, |
AE 3007A1/1 | AE 3007A1P | BX56374, BX56376, BX56392 through |
AE 3007A1/2 AE 3007A1/3 | AE 3007A3 | BX56395, BX59006, BX59007, BX59013, BX59014, BX59041, BX59050, BX59062, BX59064 through BX59066, BX59075 through BX59078, BX60000 through BX60145, BX60172 through BX60239, BX60265 through BX60287, BX60301, BX60303, BX60311 and BX60381 through BX60384 |
Note2: FAA AD 2000-18-06 Amdt 39-11891 refers.
Compliance: As of the effective date of this Directive.
Rolls Royce (Allison) Turbine Engines - AE 3007 Series
AD/AE 3007/2 (continued)
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 2 September 2004.
Background: The Allison Engine Company notified the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that there was a quality problem with FADECs that have certain hardware SN's installed on AE 3007 series engines. This could lead to an uncommanded engine shutdown in flight, the inability of the FADECs to switch from one channel to another channel (channel A to B) or the inability to shutdown an engine. Three uncommanded in-flight engine shutdowns, eight events in which the FADEC channels could not be changed and three events in which the engine could not be shut down prompted these actions. Allison Engine Company has determined that these events resulted from a quality problem with the internal power supply transistor TR1 in FADEC's with certain hardware SN's. This condition, if not corrected, could also result in an uncommanded in-flight engine shutdown and the potential for an in-flight dual-engine shutdown caused by a potential hardware failure mode in some AE 3007 series FADEC's.
The FAA subsequently issued AD 2000-18-06 which required the modification of affected FADECs before 22 December 2000. This Directive is issued to ensure that any unmodified FADECs are not installed on any engine.
Bernard Malcolm Hole
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 20 July 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 11 August 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) introduced the Airworthiness Directive (AD) AE 3007/2 in 2004 to address a critical safety concern with the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) systems in Rolls Royce (Allison) Turbine Engines, specifically the AE 3007 Series. This AD was enacted to prevent the installation of unmodified FADEC hardware on these engines, which could result in uncommanded engine shutdowns, failure to switch between engine channels, and the inability to shut down the engine, all of which pose significant risks to flight safety. The directive is a response to the quality issues identified by the Allison Engine Company, which prompted the United States Federal Aviation Administration to issue a similar AD. The policy objective of this AD is to ensure that all affected FADECs are modified in accordance with Rolls-Royce Service Bulletins before being installed on any engine, thereby mitigating the risk of in-flight shutdowns and enhancing overall aviation safety.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) pertains specifically to Allison Engine Company Models AE 3007A, AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1/2, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1P, AE 3007A3, and AE 3007C turbofan engines equipped with full authority digital electronic controls (FADEC). This directive applies to these engine models installed on aircraft such as the Embraer Model EMB-145, EMB-145ER, EMB-145MR, EMB-145LR, EMB-135ER, EMB-135LR, and Cessna 750. The AD mandates that FADECs with certain hardware serial numbers must be modified using Rolls-Royce Service Bulletins AE 3007A-73-042, Revision 1, or AE 3007C-73-024, Revision 1, before being installed on any engine. The modification must be completed in accordance with the specified instructions and within the timeframe outlined in the directive, which became effective on 2 September 2004. This directive ensures compliance with safety standards by addressing a known quality issue with specific FADEC hardware that could potentially result in uncommanded engine shutdowns or failure to switch between channels in flight.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/AE 3007/2, issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, pertains specifically to the Rolls Royce (Allison) Turbine Engines AE 3007 Series. The applicability section of this AD covers all Allison Engine Company Models AE 3007A, AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1/2, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1P, AE 3007A3, and AE 3007C turbofan engines equipped with full authority digital electronic controls (FADEC). The AD mandates that any FADEC with a specified hardware serial number must be modified using Rolls-Royce Service Bulletin (SB) AE 3007A-73-042, Revision 1, dated 23 August 2000 or RR SB AE 3007C-73-024, Revision 1, dated 23 August 2000, as applicable, and the modification tag on the FADEC must be marked with TR1 day/month.
The AD imposes obligations on engine owners and operators to ensure that only modified FADECs, as specified in the requirement section, are installed on any engine. The compliance section of the AD mandates that this directive must be adhered to as of its effective date, 2 September 2004. The directive aims to prevent unsafe conditions, such as uncommanded engine shutdowns in flight, the inability of the FADECs to switch channels, or the inability to shutdown an engine.
Failure to comply with this AD may result in the installation of an unsafe FADEC, which could lead to serious safety hazards, including potential uncommanded in-flight engine shutdowns. The potential consequences include in-flight dual-engine shutdowns due to hardware failure. Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may take enforcement actions against non-compliance, and in severe cases, criminal charges may be pursued under applicable aviation safety legislation. The maximum penalties for breaches of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 can include substantial fines and imprisonment, depending on the severity and intent behind the breach.