AD/AMD 20/10 - Fuel Cut-Off Valves

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended by F2006B02348, aim to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft in Australia. This legislative instrument, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, addresses a specific safety concern related to the Fan Jet Falcon (Falcon 20/Mystere-Falcon 200) series aeroplanes. The problem it was introduced to address involves fuel cut-off valve issues that could potentially compromise flight safety. The policy objective of this regulation is to mandate compliance with specific service bulletins (SB No. 550 and 551) to rectify these issues, ensuring that all affected aircraft are maintained to a standard that mitigates any safety risks. This legislative instrument underscores the importance of timely and precise maintenance actions to uphold aviation safety standards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to all entities and persons involved in the operation of aircraft within Australia. Specifically, this includes aircraft manufacturers, operators, maintenance providers, and flight crews. The geographic reach of this regulation is national, ensuring uniform safety standards across all states and territories of Australia. The regulation pertains to the maintenance and operation of the Fan Jet Falcon (Falcon 20/Mystere-Falcon 200) series aeroplanes with serial numbers 1 to 341. It mandates actions as outlined in the Airworthiness Maintenance Directive (AMD) Service Bulletins (SB) No. 550 and 551 (28-44 and 28-45), specifically concerning the fuel cut-off valves. Compliance with these directives must be achieved within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service after 31 August 1976. The application of these regulations can be extended or refined through subordinate instruments, ensuring that the standards and directives remain current and effective in addressing any emerging safety concerns.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (Cth) under Part 39 - 105, specifically focusing on the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, contains important provisions for maintaining the airworthiness of various aircraft, including the AMD Fan Jet Falcon (Falcon 20/Mystere-Falcon 200) Series Aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/AMD 20/10, pertains to the fuel cut-off valves on all models with serial numbers 1 to 341. This directive requires action in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Directives Service Bulletins (AMD SB) No. 550 and 551 (28-44 and 28-45) to ensure that the fuel cut-off valves are properly maintained and function correctly (Section 39 - 105). The obligations imposed by this directive are clear and must be adhered to by the operators and maintainers of the affected aircraft. Specifically, compliance with the directive must be achieved within 100 hours of time in service after 31 August 1976 (Section 39 - 105). This means that any aircraft operator or maintenance entity must ensure that the required actions are completed within this timeframe to meet the regulatory standards set forth by CASA. Failure to comply with these requirements could lead to significant safety risks and potential non-compliance with aviation safety regulations. In the event of non-compliance with these airworthiness directives, there are potential civil and criminal consequences. The specific penalties for breaches of the Civil Aviation Regulations are detailed under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth) and may include fines, imprisonment, or both. The maximum penalties for serious breaches can be substantial, reflecting the critical importance of maintaining airworthiness standards to ensure the safety of all persons on board and on the ground. Operators and maintainers must therefore take these obligations seriously to avoid facing these severe consequences.