COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
AD/AS 355/17 Securaiglon (Ex L’aiglon) Safety Belts - Modification
9/84
Applicability: All model AS 355 equipped with passenger seat belts identified in Paragraph 1 of Service Bulletin TRW No. 01.
Requirement: Aerospatiale SB No. 01.11 and TRW RAPA SA S.B. No. 01. Compliance: Modify prior to 31 January 1985.
Background: The manufacturer reports instances where the buckle had jammed in the locked position.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, constitute a comprehensive regulatory framework governing all aspects of civil aviation within the country. Among its various provisions, Part 39 focuses on the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. The specific legislative instrument F2006B02473, concerning the Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) series helicopters, was introduced to address safety concerns identified by the manufacturer regarding the passenger seat belts of these aircraft. The policy objective is to ensure the safety and reliability of air travel by mandating modifications to address the reported issue of buckle jamming in the locked position. The Airworthiness Directives aim to maintain the highest safety standards in civil aviation, thereby protecting passengers and crew.
The Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) series helicopters are required to comply with the Safety Belts Modification directive, which mandates that the modifications specified in Aerospatiale Service Bulletin No. 01.11 and TRW RAPA SA Service Bulletin No. 01 must be completed prior to 31 January 1985. This directive underscores the importance of timely and proactive measures to mitigate potential safety risks, ensuring that all affected aircraft meet the necessary safety standards set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 105, mandates safety directives for airworthiness, including the AD/AS 355/17 concerning Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters. This legislation applies to all model AS 355 helicopters that are equipped with passenger seat belts as identified in Paragraph 1 of Service Bulletin TRW No. 01. The directive necessitates compliance with Aerospatiale SB No. 01.11 and TRW RAPA SA S.B. No. 01, requiring modifications to the Securaiglon (Ex L’aiglon) safety belts. These modifications must be completed before 31 January 1985 to ensure the safety of passengers, addressing instances where the buckle had jammed in the locked position as reported by the manufacturer. The scope of this regulation is national, extending throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, and applies to all relevant helicopters within the specified timeframe. There are no exclusions or exemptions mentioned in the directive, and compliance is mandatory for the safety of the aviation industry.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, mandates certain safety measures for the Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, as outlined in AD/AS 355/17. This directive concerns the modification of Securaiglon (Ex L’aiglon) safety belts to prevent buckle jamming, as identified in Paragraph 1 of Service Bulletin TRW No. 01. The directive applies to all AS 355 models equipped with the specified passenger seat belts. The requirement is to comply with Aerospatiale Service Bulletin No. 01.11 and TRW RAPA SA Service Bulletin No. 01, with modifications to be completed before 31 January 1985.
This legislation imposes clear obligations on the operators and owners of the AS 355 helicopters. They must ensure that all applicable passenger seat belts are modified according to the specified service bulletins to prevent the buckle from jamming in the locked position. Failure to comply with these modifications could result in the aircraft being deemed non-airworthy, which would prohibit its operation until the required modifications are completed.
The regulations do not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance in the provided text, but it is implied that failure to adhere to the airworthiness directives can result in severe consequences. This could include grounding of the aircraft, potential fines, and legal action for operating an aircraft that does not meet the required safety standards. Furthermore, such non-compliance could also lead to civil liability in the event of an accident or incident arising from the non-modified state of the safety belts. These potential outcomes underscore the importance of adhering to the directives to ensure safety and compliance with aviation regulations.