AD/BAe 146/4 Amdt 1 - Flight Controls - Stall Identification

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105 and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, encompasses regulations for various aircraft, including the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. This legislative instrument, identified as F2006B03490, was enacted to address the safety concerns arising from potential defects in the stick push valves of BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. The problem it targets is the risk of internal corrosion within the solenoid assembly of these valves, which could lead to a failure that is not immediately detectable by the flight crew, potentially increasing the risk of accidents. The enactment of this legislation by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) aims to mitigate such risks by mandating specific maintenance actions. The policy objective is to ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft by requiring inspections and modifications in accordance with British Aerospace Service Bulletin 27-58. This bulletin supersedes the earlier SB 27-53, and compliance necessitates inspections within 60 flights after a specified date and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 60 flights until the defective valves are replaced with modified ones.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 concerning the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to all British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes that are Series 100 and 100A, and Series 200 and 200A, if they are fitted with the suspect valves identified in the Requirement Document. The regulation mandates that these aircraft must adhere to the actions specified in British Aerospace Service Bulletin 27-58, which supersedes SB 27-53. The primary requirement is to inspect the aircraft within 60 flights after 2 May 1986, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 60 flights until the suspect valves are replaced with modified ones. This also applies to spares before installation and thereafter at the same intervals until replacement. The directive is intended to mitigate the risk of internal corrosion within the solenoid assembly of the stick push valves, which could otherwise result in a dormant failure not immediately apparent to the flight crew. The regulation encompasses the entire Commonwealth of Australia, imposing these safety standards nationally. The scope of this Act does not include any exclusions or exemptions, ensuring that all specified aircraft within the jurisdiction are subject to these stringent safety requirements.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this legislative instrument, specifically the AD/BAe 146/4 Amendment 1, pertain to the flight controls and stall identification for British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. The regulation is applicable to Series 100 and 100A, as well as Series 200 and 200A aeroplanes, provided they are fitted with the suspect valves identified in the Requirement Document (section 1). The primary requirement is that action be taken in accordance with British Aerospace Service Bulletin 27-58, which supersedes Service Bulletin 27-53 (section 2). This action involves inspecting the aeroplanes within 60 flights after 2 May 1986, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 60 flights until the suspect valves are replaced with modified ones (section 3). The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 impose several obligations and requirements on the parties or entities governed by this Act. Primarily, operators of the affected BAe 146 aeroplanes must ensure that inspections and necessary modifications are carried out in line with the specified intervals. This includes conducting inspections on aeroplanes already in service and on any spares before they are installed in an aircraft (section 3). Additionally, the operators must maintain records of these inspections and modifications to demonstrate compliance with the regulation. Failure to adhere to the requirements outlined in the AD/BAe 146/4 Amendment 1 could lead to various consequences, including civil and criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in this legislative instrument, under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can result in substantial fines and potential criminal charges for operators. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce these regulations, and repeated or severe non-compliance could lead to significant repercussions for the operators involved, including grounding of the aircraft until compliance is achieved.