Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998), specifically within Part 39 – 107, address various safety directives concerning civil aviation in Australia. This legislative instrument, F2006B02433, was introduced to address safety issues pertaining to auxiliary power units (APU) on certain aircraft. Enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the authority of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, the policy objective of this legislation is to ensure the continued airworthiness of aircraft through the implementation of necessary safety measures. The AD/APU/15, issued on 8 August 2000, mandates specific actions to mitigate the risk of uncontained APU failures, ensuring that aircraft maintain their airworthiness and safety standards as required by the regulations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 107, specifically addresses Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ensure the safety of civil aviation. This particular Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertains to the auxiliary power units (APU) used on certain aircraft models. The AD applies to Honeywell International (formerly AlliedSignal Inc.) 36-300(A), 36-280(B), and 36-280(D) Series APUs installed on Airbus Industrie A319, A320, A321 series, Boeing 737-300, -400, -500 series and MD-80 series aircraft. The directive mandates specific actions to mitigate the risk of load compressor impeller separation, which has led to uncontained APU failures and subsequent damage to the aircraft. The compliance period requires these actions to be taken either at the next shop visit or within a specified timeframe after the effective date of the directive, whichever comes first. The directive was issued on 4 July 2000 and became effective on 10 August 2000.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, contain Airworthiness Directives that mandate safety measures for aircraft and aeronautical products. Section 107 focuses on Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). AD/APU/15, issued under subregulation 39.1(1), pertains to the GTCP 36 Series Auxiliary Power Units (APU) fitted with specific load compressor impellers. These APUs may be installed on various aircraft models, including Airbus A319, A320, A321 series, Boeing 737-300, -400, -500 series, and MD-80 series. The directive applies to APUs with load compressor impellers P/N 3822270-4 or P/N 3822270-5. It requires that APUs fitted with impeller P/N 3822270-4 either install an external load compressor containment shield or replace the impeller with P/N 3822270-5. APUs with impeller P/N 3822270-5 must also install an external load compressor containment shield. These actions must be performed according to specific service bulletins from AlliedSignal Inc. dated March 31 and April 20, 1999. The obligations imposed by this directive include compliance within specific timeframes. Operators must ensure that the required actions are taken at the next shop visit or within six months from the effective date of the directive, whichever comes first. For APUs with impeller P/N 3822270-5, the actions must be completed within twelve months from the directive's effective date or before the impeller reaches 26,000 cycles, whichever is later. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to severe consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text, non-compliance with Airworthiness Directives can result in enforcement actions, including fines and potential grounding of the aircraft, as stipulated under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations.