Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under the authority of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, were enacted to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within Australia. Specifically, Part 39 addresses airworthiness directives, which are essential for maintaining the safety of aircraft in operation. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued Airworthiness Directive AD/AMD 10/24 on 27 March 2002 to address a critical safety issue identified in Falcon 10 series aircraft. The directive mandates specific actions to be taken to correct an unsafe condition related to the nose landing gear actuator rod, which had been found to suffer from corrosion-induced cracking. This cracking could potentially lead to a hydraulic leak and subsequent failure of the nose gear retraction system during landing. The policy objective of this directive is to mitigate the risk of accidents arising from the failure of the nose landing gear, ensuring that all relevant aircraft are maintained to the required safety standards before further flight.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to all Falcon 10 aircraft. This AD mandates certain actions to address an unsafe condition identified in the nose landing gear actuator rod, which has been found to suffer from corrosion-initiated cracking. The requirements set forth in the directive include inserting Temporary Change No. 24 into the Aircraft Flight Manual unless Dassault Aviation Service Bulletin F10-294 has been implemented, updating the Maintenance Manual with Revision 5 of Chapter 5.40 regardless of the aforementioned bulletin's implementation, and conducting a visual inspection for cracks on the nose landing gear actuator rod as per Service Bulletin F10-294. Compliance with these requirements must occur before further flight after 27 March 2002, upon receipt of the updated maintenance manual, and before 27 October 2002, respectively. The directive applies nationally across the Commonwealth of Australia and is intended to mitigate the risk of nose landing gear malfunction, which could result in serious safety incidents during aircraft operation.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) pertains specifically to the Falcon 10 series aeroplanes, focusing on the nose landing gear actuator rod. The AD mandates that all Falcon 10 aircraft must comply with certain requirements to rectify an identified unsafe condition. These requirements are detailed in the directive and involve specific actions regarding the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) and the Maintenance Manual (MM), as well as inspections for cracks on the nose landing gear (NLG) actuator rod. The first requirement is to insert Temporary Change No. 24 into the AFM, unless Dassault Aviation Service Bulletin (SB) F10-294 has already been implemented. This change is intended to update the flight manual with critical safety information pertinent to the identified issue. The second requirement mandates the insertion of Revision 5 of Chapter 5.40 into the Maintenance Manual (MM) irrespective of the implementation status of SB F10-294. This revision provides updated maintenance procedures to address the safety concerns. The third requirement is to inspect the NLG actuator rod for cracks in accordance with SB F10-294. This inspection is crucial for detecting potential corrosion and cracking which could compromise the integrity of the landing gear. The obligations imposed by this AD on the parties or entities it governs include ensuring that the specified changes to the AFM and MM are implemented promptly and correctly. Aircraft operators and maintenance personnel must conduct the required inspections before further flights and adhere to the timelines provided. Non-compliance with these obligations could lead to safety risks and potential regulatory consequences. The AD mandates that these actions be taken before specific dates: Temporary Change No. 24 must be implemented before any further flight after 27 March 2002, the MM revision must be incorporated upon receipt, and the NLG actuator rod inspection must be completed before 27 October 2002. Failure to comply with this AD may result in serious safety consequences, including the risk of NLG malfunction during flight, which could lead to accidents. The AD does not explicitly state penalties or consequences for non-compliance within the directive itself. However, non-compliance with ADs generally attracts civil or criminal penalties under the CAR 1998. The penalties can include fines, suspension or revocation of aircraft certificates, and potential criminal charges for operators or individuals responsible for ensuring compliance, with the severity of the penalties depending on the nature and extent of the non-compliance.