COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Boeing 717 Series Aeroplanes
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
AD/B717/2 Loss of Altitude Information 5/2001 TX
Applicability: All Model 717-200 series aeroplanes.
Requirement: 1. If not previously accomplished, coil and stow the electrical wires between the glareshield control panel and the Integrated Standby Instrument System in accordance with Boeing alert Service Bulletin 717-34A0002 dated 30 March 2000.
2. If not previously accomplished, revise the Abnormal Procedures Section of the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to include procedures for identifying and pulling certain circuit breakers. This must be accomplished by inserting Boeing Interim Operating Procedure 2-17, dated 31 March 2000, or Boeing Interim Operating Procedures 2-17A, dated 16 August 2000 into the AFM.
Note: FAA AD 2000-07-51 Amdt 39-11713 refers.
Compliance: For Requirement 1 – Before further flight after the effective date of this Directive. For Requirement 2 – Before further flight after the effective date of this Directive. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 26 March 2001.
Background: The FAA received a report of two incidents in which an intermittent loss of altitude data occurred simultaneously on the Captain’s Primary Flight Display (PFD), First Officer’s PFD, and the Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS) altitude display due to a voltage drop in the power distribution control unit. Additional intermittent loss of cockpit indications included the glareshield control panel data, navigation data, flight management computer mismatch annunciation, autopilot disconnect, and autothrottle disconnect. In both cases, the airspeed and attitude indication remained operational and the flights continued to their destination without further incident.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
This condition, if not corrected, could result in loss of all altitude information and subsequent essential navigation data for continued safe flight and landing. This Directive requires coiling and stowing of electrical wires between the glareshield control panel and the Integrated Standby Instrument System; and revising the abnormal section of the AFM to include procedures for identifying and pulling certain circuit breakers if the altitude data on the Captain’s PFD become unreliable.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 23 March 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 26 March 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, introduced various safety measures to ensure the integrity and safety of civil aviation within Australia. One such measure is the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). For instance, AD/B717/2, effective from 26 March 2001, addresses a specific safety concern related to the Boeing 717 series aeroplanes, particularly the loss of altitude information. This AD was introduced to rectify an unsafe condition that could potentially lead to a complete loss of altitude and navigation data, thereby compromising the safe operation and landing of the aircraft. The directive mandates specific actions, such as coiling and stowing certain electrical wires and updating the Aircraft Flight Manual with new procedures, to mitigate this risk and ensure compliance before further flights. This directive reflects CASA's policy objective of maintaining high safety standards in civil aviation by promptly addressing identified hazards.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, pertains to Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This particular Airworthiness Directive (AD/B717/2) applies to all Boeing 717-200 series aeroplanes. The directive mandates certain actions to correct an unsafe condition identified in these aircraft, including coiling and stowing specific electrical wires and updating the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to include revised procedures for managing unreliable altitude data. These actions are necessary to prevent the potential loss of altitude information and essential navigation data, which could compromise the safe flight and landing of the aircraft. The compliance requirements dictate that these actions must be completed before further flight after the directive's effective date, which is 26 March 2001. The directive applies across the Commonwealth of Australia, and its scope is enforced through subordinate instruments as necessary.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive AD/B717/2, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), mandates specific actions for all Boeing 717-200 series aeroplanes to address the potential loss of altitude information. According to section 5 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998), the directive requires two primary actions: the coiling and stowing of electrical wires between the glareshield control panel and the Integrated Standby Instrument System, as detailed in Boeing Service Bulletin 717-34A0002 dated 30 March 2000; and the revision of the Abnormal Procedures Section of the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to incorporate procedures for identifying and pulling certain circuit breakers, as stipulated in Boeing Interim Operating Procedure 2-17 or 2-17A dated 31 March 2000 and 16 August 2000, respectively. These actions must be completed before further flight after the effective date of the directive, which is 26 March 2001.
The directive imposes clear obligations on the operators of Boeing 717-200 series aeroplanes. They must ensure that the electrical wires are coiled and stowed correctly, as per the specified Boeing service bulletin, to prevent voltage drops that could lead to the loss of altitude information. Additionally, operators are required to update their AFMs by incorporating the outlined Boeing procedures to handle situations where altitude data may become unreliable. This ensures that flight crews have the necessary procedures at their disposal to manage such incidents safely.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive could lead to serious safety implications. Although specific penalties are not outlined in the text, non-compliance could result in the grounding of the aircraft, as the directive is issued to prevent unsafe conditions. This could have significant operational impacts and potentially lead to regulatory actions by CASA, including fines or other enforcement measures. The directive underscores the importance of adhering to safety protocols to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft and ensure safe operations.