AD/BAe 146/13 - Additional Elevator Mass Balance

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (Cth), specifically Part 39 - 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) aimed at addressing issues related to the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. This legislative instrument, identified as F2006B03467, was enacted to ensure that certain BAe 146 aeroplanes meet specific safety standards. The AD, numbered AD/BAe 146/13, was introduced to mandate the addition of an elevator mass balance to specific series of BAe 146 aeroplanes. This measure is intended to assist in damping control column oscillations, enhancing flight safety and stability. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) established this directive to ensure compliance, with a particular focus on aeroplanes with serial numbers listed in the requirement document, prior to 30 November 1989. The policy objective is to mitigate risks associated with control column oscillations, thereby improving overall aviation safety.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, addresses the modification requirements for the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series aeroplanes, particularly for Series 100, 100A, 200, and 200A with specific serial numbers. This directive, identified as AD/BAe 146/13, mandates an additional elevator mass balance to assist in damping control column oscillations, as per BAe Service Bulletin 55-7-00955D. The directive applies to aircraft meeting the specified serial numbers and requires compliance prior to 30 November 1989. The directive’s scope extends to ensuring that the identified aircraft meet the necessary safety standards through the prescribed modification, enhancing operational safety by mitigating control column oscillations. This legislation is applicable nationally within the Commonwealth of Australia, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in the directive itself, although compliance and enforcement might be subject to further regulations or interpretations under the overarching Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 105, outlines the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which includes directives for the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. One such directive is AD/BAe 146/13, which concerns the additional elevator mass balance (Section 39-105). This directive applies to BAe 146 Series 100, 100A, 200, and 200A aeroplanes with serial numbers listed in the Requirement Document (Section 39-105). The directive mandates that the action must be taken in accordance with British Aerospace Service Bulletin (S.B.) 55-7-00955D, which provides detailed instructions on implementing the required modifications (Section 39-105). Compliance with this directive is mandatory, and any required modifications must be completed before 30 November 1989 (Section 39-105). Under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, the primary obligation for operators of the BAe 146 Series 100, 100A, 200, and 200A aeroplanes is to ensure that the specified modifications are carried out as per the requirements of AD/BAe 146/13. This involves installing additional mass balance forward of the elevator hinge line to assist in damping control column oscillations. Operators must ensure that the modifications are performed by authorised personnel and that all work is completed to the standards outlined in British Aerospace Service Bulletin 55-7-00955D (Section 39-105). Compliance records must be maintained and made available for inspection by CASA upon request. Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/BAe 146/13 may result in significant legal and operational consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not specify a particular offence under this directive; however, non-compliance with an Airworthiness Directive can lead to enforcement actions by CASA. Such actions may include the issuance of a Notice of Violation, grounding of the aircraft until the required modifications are completed, and potential civil or criminal penalties. The severity of the penalties will depend on the extent and nature of the non-compliance, but operators must take all necessary steps to ensure adherence to the directive to avoid any adverse consequences.