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 747 Series Aeroplanes
AD/B747/303 BFGoodrich Emergency Slide or Slide/Raft 4/2004
Applicability: All Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, 747SR, and
747SP series aircraft; equipped with BFGoodrich slides or slide/rafts having part number 7A1238-( ), 7A1239-( ), 7A1248-( ), 7A1261-( ), 7A-1255-( ),
7A-1256-( ), or 7A-1257-( ), where “( )” represents any dash number of those part numbers.
Requirement: Inspect in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2004-03-17 Amdt 39-13461.
Note: BFGoodrich Service Bulletin 25-241, dated 30 September 1991 refers.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 15 April 2004.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 15 April 2004.
Background: This Directive requires an inspection of each affected emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to determine if a certain discrepant hose assembly is installed, and replacement of the hose assembly if necessary. Failure of an emergency slide or slide/raft to fully inflate during an emergency situation could impede an evacuation and result in injury to passengers and crewmembers.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 5 March 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 24 March 2004.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to provide a framework for ensuring the safety of civil aviation operations within Australia. This legislation, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), aims to address potential safety issues through various directives and regulations, ensuring that aircraft and aeronautical products meet the required safety standards. The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 were introduced to fill the need for comprehensive safety regulations governing civil aviation, thereby protecting passengers, crew, and the general public from aviation-related hazards. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, as the delegate of the Australian Government, issues Airworthiness Directives to mandate specific actions that are necessary to correct unsafe conditions in aircraft and aeronautical products, as exemplified by AD/B747/303, which pertains to the inspection and potential replacement of certain emergency slide or slide/raft assemblies in Boeing 747 series aeroplanes to prevent potential failures during emergency evacuations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, outline the Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ensure the safety of aircraft in Australia. This particular AD/B747/303 applies to all Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes, including models 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, 747SR, and 747SP, that are equipped with certain BFGoodrich emergency slides or slide/rafts. The directive mandates that these aircraft must undergo an inspection to determine if a specified discrepant hose assembly is installed and to replace it if necessary, in order to prevent potential failure during an emergency situation. The directive is effective as of 15 April 2004 and applies across all jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring uniformity in safety standards. The requirements and compliance instructions are derived from FAA AD 2004-03-17 Amdt 39-13461, with reference to BFGoodrich Service Bulletin 25-241 dated 30 September 1991.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/B747/303, issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically targets all Boeing 747 series aircraft models listed in the applicability section. These models include the 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, 747SR, and 747SP series aircraft, provided they are equipped with certain BFGoodrich slides or slide/rafts identified by specific part numbers. The directive mandates that these aircraft must undergo an inspection in accordance with the technical requirements outlined in FAA AD 2004-03-17 Amdt 39-13461 to ascertain whether a particular discrepant hose assembly is installed. If such an assembly is found, it must be replaced.
The AD imposes several obligations on the operators and maintainers of the affected aircraft. Firstly, they must ensure that the inspection is conducted by qualified personnel who are familiar with the technical requirements of the FAA AD and any referenced service bulletins. This includes reviewing and adhering to the specific instructions and procedures provided in the requirement document, which was amended to have an effective date of 15 April 2004. The AD further necessitates that any identified issues be addressed promptly to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. Additionally, operators and maintainers must keep detailed records of the inspections and any actions taken, as these records are crucial for compliance verification and future audits.
Failure to comply with the AD may result in serious consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) can impose penalties for non-compliance, which may include fines and other administrative actions. The severity of these penalties can vary depending on the extent and nature of the non-compliance. In extreme cases, where the failure to comply with the AD leads to an accident or serious incident, the penalties can be more severe, potentially including criminal charges against individuals or corporations responsible for the oversight. The exact penalties are determined based on the specific circumstances of each case but are intended to ensure stringent adherence to safety regulations to protect passengers and crew.