Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia and to provide a regulatory framework governing the operation of aircraft. One particular legislative instrument, F2006B03122, introduced an Airworthiness Directive (AD) concerning Boeing 747 series aircraft, specifically targeting an issue with the lower lobe and main deck side cargo doors latch pins. This AD was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address a safety concern identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where latch pins were found installed incorrectly on cargo doors, potentially leading to structural damage and the risk of cargo doors opening during flight. The policy objective of this directive is to ensure the safe operation of aircraft by mandating specific actions to rectify the identified unsafe condition. This directive was implemented to prevent any incidents that could compromise the safety of passengers, crew, and cargo.

Scope and Application

This legislative instrument, specifically the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, applies to all Model 747 series aircraft with line numbers ranging from 1 through 1078. The AD mandates specific actions concerning the latch pins on the lower lobe and main deck side cargo doors, aimed at addressing an unsafe condition that could potentially result in the improper latching of cargo door components, leading to structural damage and the risk of the cargo door opening during flight. The directive references FAA AD 2000-02-37 Amdt 39-11555 and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-52A2258, necessitating compliance with the specified technical requirements for a one-time inspection and modification action. The directive's compliance period is set according to the requirements document, with an effective date of 20 April 2000, and it was officially gazetted on 22 March 2000. This AD extends its application across the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring that all relevant aircraft operators and maintenance entities adhere to the stipulated safety measures.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105, mandate certain safety measures for aircraft through Airworthiness Directives (AD). One such directive, AD/B747/221, pertains to Boeing 747 series aeroplanes, particularly the lower lobe and main deck side cargo door latch pins (section 1). This directive applies to all Model 747 series aircraft from line numbers 1 through 1078 (section 2). The requirement is that the action specified in FAA AD 2000-02-37 Amdt 39-11555 must be followed to ensure safety (section 3). This includes adhering to the technical requirements and instructions provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the aforementioned amendment. Entities and individuals governed by these regulations must comply with the Airworthiness Directive by performing a one-time inspection and modification of the latch pins as specified in the requirement document. This compliance must be achieved by the revised effective date of 20 April 2000, as outlined in the compliance section (section 4). Failure to adhere to these requirements can lead to serious safety issues, including potential structural damage to the cargo door and doorway cutout, which could result in the cargo door opening during flight. In the event of non-compliance with the AD/B747/221, there are potential civil and criminal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can typically result in severe penalties, including fines, operational restrictions, or even the grounding of the aircraft. The severity of these penalties underscores the importance of adhering to the safety measures outlined in the directive to ensure the continued safety and airworthiness of Boeing 747 series aircraft.