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 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.
Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B747/289 Fuselage Skin between BS 1961 and BS 2360 4/2003
Applicability: All Model 747 series aircraft.
Requirement: Inspect in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2003-03-19 Amdt 39-13044.
Note: Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2489 refers.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 17 April 2003.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 17 April 2003.
Background: This Directive requires a one-time inspection of the fuselage skin of the aft lower body for certain repair doublers, and follow-on inspections and corrective actions if such doublers are installed. The actions required by this Directive are intended to detect and correct possible fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin concealed under certain repair doublers, which could result in rapid decompression of the aircraft.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 6 March 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 26 March 2003.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, address the problem of ensuring the safety of civil aviation by prescribing regulations for maintaining airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products. One of the key tools used in this regard is the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), aimed at correcting unsafe conditions identified in aircraft. For instance, AD/B747/289 issued on 4 April 2003 pertains to the Boeing 747 series aeroplanes and mandates a specific inspection of the fuselage skin between specified beam stations to detect and correct possible fatigue cracking that could lead to rapid decompression of the aircraft. This directive is part of the broader policy objective to ensure that all civil aviation activities within Australia adhere to the highest safety standards, thereby protecting the public and maintaining the integrity of the national aviation system.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, includes Airworthiness Directives that apply to various aircraft and aeronautical products within Australia. The AD/B747/289 is an example of such a directive, targeting all Boeing 747 series aircraft to ensure their airworthiness. This directive requires a specific inspection of the fuselage skin between BS 1961 and BS 2360 to detect and correct potential fatigue cracking that could lead to rapid decompression. The directive mandates compliance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2003-03-19 Amdt 39-13044, referencing Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2489, and specifies a compliance date of 17 April 2003. This Airworthiness Directive is applicable nationally, extending its regulatory oversight across all jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Australia, and is enforceable through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is delegated the authority to issue such directives under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.
Key Provisions
The key operative sections of this Airworthiness Directive (AD) under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) are the applicability, requirement, and compliance sections. The applicability section (paragraph 1) specifies that the AD applies to all Model 747 series aircraft. The requirement section (paragraph 2) mandates an inspection in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2003-03-19 Amdt 39-13044, referencing Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2489. The compliance section (paragraph 3) sets the revised effective date for the directive as 17 April 2003, making it effective from this date.
The obligations imposed by this AD on the parties it governs primarily concern safety inspections and corrective actions. Owners and operators of Boeing 747 series aircraft must ensure that the fuselage skin between certain specified bulletin stations (BS 1961 and BS 2360) is inspected. This inspection must adhere to the detailed technical requirements outlined in FAA AD 2003-03-19 Amdt 39-13044, as referenced in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2489. Furthermore, any corrective actions identified during the inspection must be implemented in compliance with the instructions provided in the requirement section.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this AD could result in severe consequences, both civil and criminal. While the AD itself does not specify penalties, non-compliance with airworthiness directives is generally treated as a serious offence under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth). Potential civil penalties include fines and the possibility of grounding the aircraft. In more severe cases, criminal charges could be brought against individuals responsible for non-compliance, potentially leading to imprisonment. The specific penalties would depend on the severity and intent behind the non-compliance, but the overarching principle is that airworthiness directives are legally binding and their non-compliance is taken very seriously.