COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AlliedSignal (Lycoming) Turbine Engines - ALF502 and LF507 Series
AD/ALF/10 Third Stage Turbine Rotor Assembly 6/89
Applicability: ALF 502L and R series with third stage rotor assemblies whose serial numbers are listed in the Requirement documents.
Requirement: Remove from service those third stage turbine rotor assemblies P/N 2-143-040-16 with serial numbers listed in Appendix 1 of Lycoming Service Bulletin No. ALF 502L-72-210 and ALF 502R-72-210.
Compliance: Unless already accomplished, in accordance with the schedules laid down in Section D of the relevant Requirement Document.
Background: This Directive is issued to remove from service those third stage turbine rotor assemblies which have been identified as having received suspect heat treatment procedure during manufacture. Suspect rotors may suffer disc tenon deformation with subsequent blade release resulting in engine damage.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39, encompasses the Airworthiness Directives established by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This legislation was enacted to ensure the safety and reliability of aircraft operations within Australian airspace. One such directive, AD/ALF/10, addresses the issue of third stage turbine rotor assemblies in AlliedSignal (Lycoming) Turbine Engines of the ALF502 and LF507 series. This directive was introduced to address the problem of suspect heat treatment procedures during the manufacture of certain rotor assemblies, which could lead to disc tenon deformation and subsequent blade release, potentially causing engine damage. The policy objective, as stated in the directive, is to remove from service those specific rotor assemblies to prevent such safety risks. The directive applies to ALF 502L and R series engines with the identified serial numbers and requires compliance according to the specified schedules in the relevant requirement documents.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 106, apply to the AlliedSignal (Lycoming) Turbine Engines of the ALF502 and LF507 series, focusing on the third stage turbine rotor assembly. The regulation targets engines with particular serial numbers listed in the requirement documents, mandating the removal from service of specific third stage turbine rotor assemblies identified by the serial numbers found in Appendix 1 of Lycoming Service Bulletin No. ALF 502L-72-210 and ALF 502R-72-210. This directive applies to any entity or person operating these engines within the Commonwealth of Australia, as overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The purpose of this regulation is to ensure safety by removing components that may have undergone suspect heat treatment during manufacturing, which could lead to disc tenon deformation and subsequent blade release, potentially causing engine damage. Compliance is required according to the schedules specified in Section D of the relevant requirement document. The regulation does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, but the application and enforcement may be further detailed through subordinate instruments or guidance issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Key Provisions
The key operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 106, particularly in relation to AlliedSignal (Lycoming) Turbine Engines - ALF502 and LF507 Series, establish the requirement for specific maintenance actions to be taken on certain turbine rotor assemblies. Section 39.106(1) identifies the specific turbine rotor assemblies affected by the directive, which are ALF 502L and R series with third stage rotor assemblies whose serial numbers are listed in the Requirement documents. Section 39.106(2) specifies the requirement: these particular assemblies must be removed from service if they are identified by the serial numbers listed in Appendix 1 of Lycoming Service Bulletin No. ALF 502L-72-210 and ALF 502R-72-210. The directive mandates that these assemblies be removed unless they have already been removed in accordance with the schedules laid down in Section D of the relevant Requirement Document.
The obligations imposed by this Act on the parties or entities it governs are quite specific. Operators of ALF 502L and R series engines must ensure that the identified third stage turbine rotor assemblies are inspected for the listed serial numbers. If an engine is found to have a rotor assembly with a serial number listed in the bulletin, the rotor must be removed from service. Operators must adhere to the compliance schedule outlined in the Requirement Document, which includes timelines for completing the inspection and removal process. This ensures that the identified rotor assemblies, which may suffer from disc tenon deformation and subsequent blade release leading to engine damage, are promptly addressed to maintain airworthiness.
The consequences for non-compliance with the directives set forth in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 can be significant. Section 39.106(3) highlights that failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directives can lead to various civil and criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can result in severe penalties under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. For civil aviation operations, non-compliance may lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), including fines, suspension or revocation of air operator certificates, and other administrative actions. In more severe cases, criminal charges could be brought against individuals or companies, resulting in fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach and its impact on safety.