COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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 CASR 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.
Boeing 737 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B737/216 Flightcrew Oxygen Masks 9/2003
Applicability: All Model 737-600, 737-700, 737-700C, 737-800, 737-900 series aeroplanes.
Requirement: Revise the Non-Normal Procedures section of the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) by replacing the following text:
''Rapid Depressurization (With airplane altitude above 14,000 feet M.S.L.).
Oxygen Masks & Regulators-ON, 100%'' With revised text as follows:
"Cabin Altitude Warning or Rapid Depressurization
Condition: The cabin altitude warning horn sounds: Oxygen Masks & Regulators ON, 100%"
The rest of the steps under this heading in the AFM are unchanged.
The foregoing may be accomplished by inserting a copy of this Directive into the appropriate section of the AFM.
Note: FAA AD 2003-14-08 Amdt 39-13227 refers.
Compliance: Within 90 days after the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 4 September 2003.
Background: This Directive requires the revision of the AFM to advise the flightcrew to don oxygen masks as a first and immediate step when a cabin altitude warning occurs. This action is necessary to prevent incapacitation of the flightcrew due to lack of oxygen, which could result in loss of control of the aeroplane.
Jim Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 25 July 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 13 August 2003.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve to ensure the safety of civil aviation within the country. One specific aspect of these regulations is addressed in Airworthiness Directive AD/B737/216, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in 2003. This directive was introduced to address a safety concern regarding the oxygen mask procedures for the Boeing 737 series aeroplanes, particularly models 737-600, 737-700, 737-700C, 737-800, and 737-900. The problem it sought to resolve was the potential incapacitation of the flightcrew due to lack of oxygen during rapid depressurization, which could lead to loss of control of the aircraft. The policy objective was to ensure that flightcrews would immediately don their oxygen masks upon receiving a cabin altitude warning, thereby mitigating the risk of hypoxia and maintaining control over the aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 applies specifically to all Model 737-600, 737-700, 737-700C, 737-800, and 737-900 series aeroplanes. The directive mandates a revision of the Non-Normal Procedures section in the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to ensure flightcrews don oxygen masks immediately upon hearing the cabin altitude warning horn, rather than waiting until the aeroplane reaches a specific altitude. This change is intended to mitigate the risk of flightcrew incapacitation due to hypoxia, which could lead to loss of control of the aircraft. The directive, effective from 4 September 2003, requires compliance within 90 days and is applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia as per the regulations.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) under the legislative instrument F2006B02913 provide, through Part 39, a framework for issuing Airworthiness Directives (ADs) to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. Specifically, subregulation 39.1(1) empowers a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue such directives when necessary to correct unsafe conditions. One such AD, AD/B737/216, pertains to Boeing 737 Series Aeroplanes and mandates a revision to the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to improve flightcrew safety during rapid depressurization events. The AD applies to all Model 737-600, 737-700, 737-700C, 737-800, and 737-900 series aeroplanes.
Under this AD, the requirement is to update the Non-Normal Procedures section of the AFM. The directive specifies that the text concerning the oxygen mask deployment during rapid depressurization must be revised. Instead of waiting for the cabin altitude to reach 14,000 feet, the updated instruction directs the flightcrew to don oxygen masks immediately when the cabin altitude warning horn sounds. This change aims to prevent incapacitation due to lack of oxygen, which could otherwise lead to loss of control of the aircraft. The compliance period mandates that these changes be implemented within 90 days of the AD's effective date, which was set as 4 September 2003.
The AD imposes obligations on the operators of the specified Boeing 737 series aeroplanes to ensure that the revised AFM is implemented within the stipulated timeframe. Failure to comply with the AD may result in serious safety risks, as the timely use of oxygen masks during cabin depressurization is crucial to maintaining the flightcrew's ability to operate the aircraft safely. Additionally, the AD references FAA AD 2003-14-08 Amdt 39-13227, indicating that this directive aligns with international safety standards.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in this AD can have significant legal and safety consequences. Although the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the AD itself, non-compliance with CASR 1998 can lead to enforcement actions by CASA, including fines, operational restrictions, and potential prosecution. The severity of the penalties depends on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, but it can result in substantial financial penalties and operational disruptions for the non-compliant entities.