COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Boeing 727 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B727/119 Escape Slide Release Cable 9/90
DM
Applicability: All models.
Requirement: Carry out a visual inspection of each escape slide release cable. Frayed (one or more broken strands) or broken cables are to be replaced before further flight.
Note: FAA AD 90-12-11 Amdt 39-6626 refers.
Compliance: Unless accomplished in the 3 calendar months prior to 25 June 1990 - Prior to 17 August 1990, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 12 calendar months.
Background: Country of origin AD. Frayed and broken cables if not replaced could result in an escape slide not releasing from the door and blocking the exit during an emergency evacuation.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the safety and maintenance requirements for aircraft within Australia. One of the legislative instruments under this regulation, F2006B02640, was enacted to establish airworthiness directives, including AD/B727/119 concerning Boeing 727 series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address the critical safety issue of frayed or broken escape slide release cables, which could impede emergency evacuations by preventing slides from deploying properly. The policy objective behind this directive is to ensure that all affected aircraft comply with safety standards, thereby enhancing passenger safety during emergencies. The regulations are enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is tasked with maintaining and enforcing the safety standards outlined in these regulations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the safety directives pertaining to various aircraft, including the Boeing 727 Series Aeroplanes. The regulation mandates a visual inspection of each escape slide release cable to ensure its airworthiness, with a particular focus on identifying any frayed or broken cables. The requirement is applicable to all models of the Boeing 727 series, underscoring the necessity for stringent safety checks to prevent potential inoperability of escape slides during emergency evacuations. The legislation is enforced under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, ensuring compliance with both national and international aviation safety standards, particularly referencing the Federal Aviation Administration's AD 90-12-11 Amendment 39-6626. Compliance must be achieved within specific timelines, demanding that inspections and necessary replacements be completed before further flight if not already performed within the preceding three months. Failure to adhere to these safety directives could severely compromise the safety of passengers and crew during an emergency.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39-105, mandates the adherence to Airworthiness Directives (ADs) concerning specific aircraft models. Section 39-105 addresses the Boeing 727 Series Aeroplanes, with AD/B727/119 focusing on the escape slide release cables (Section 1). This directive applies to all models of the Boeing 727 series (Section 2). The key requirement outlined in this AD is that operators must conduct a visual inspection of each escape slide release cable. If any cable is found to be frayed (with one or more broken strands) or broken, it must be replaced before the aircraft can undertake further flights (Section 3). This directive references FAA AD 90-12-11 Amendment 39-6626 (Section 4).
The obligations under this AD require operators to ensure that the escape slide release cables are inspected regularly. The compliance timeline stipulates that if the inspection has not been performed in the three calendar months prior to 25 June 1990, it must be completed before 17 August 1990. Subsequent inspections must then be carried out at intervals not exceeding 12 calendar months (Section 5). These inspections are critical to maintaining the integrity of the escape slides, which are essential for emergency evacuations. Frayed or broken cables could prevent the escape slides from releasing properly, thereby blocking exits and compromising passenger safety during an emergency (Section 6).
Failure to comply with AD/B727/119 can result in significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance in this context; however, non-compliance with ADs generally can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions may include fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, or even criminal charges if the non-compliance results in an accident or endangers safety. The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the non-compliance and any resultant harm (Section 7).
In summary, AD/B727/119 is a critical directive that mandates regular inspection and replacement of escape slide release cables on Boeing 727 series aircraft to ensure safety during emergency evacuations. Operators are required to inspect these cables and replace any that are frayed or broken, with specific timelines for compliance. Failure to adhere to this directive can result in severe penalties, including potential enforcement actions by CASA and other legal repercussions (Section 8).