COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes
AD/BAe146/40
Amdt 2
Nose Landing Gear Upper Main Fitting 2/96
Applicability: All aircraft fitted with nose landing gear P/N 200876001/002/003/004 or 201138002.
Requirement: Inspect the nose landing gear for fatigue cracks using a high frequency eddy current method in accordance with British Aerospace BAe 146 Inspection Service Bulletin No 32-131 Revision 3.
Compliance: 1. Inspect nose landing gear P/N 200876001 and 200876003 before exceeding 4000 landings or before 400 landings after 1 February 1996, whichever occurs later.
Re-inspect at intervals not to exceed 2000 landings.
2. Inspect nose landing gear P/N 200876002, 200876004 and 201138002 before exceeding 16000 landings. Re-inspect at intervals not to exceed 8000 landings.
The effective date of this amendment is 1 February 1996.
Background: This Directive was originally raised in response to reports of cracking on two early modification standard nose landing gear assemblies. The initial issue required a once- off inspection to gather data which would assist the manufacturer in the development of future control action. As a result of the inspection data, the manufacturer has introduced a requirement for repetitive inspections. Amendment 1 incorporated repetitive inspections and introduced RJ series aircraft.
Amendment 2 is raised to reflect the latest revision status of the Requirement Document. This reduces the inspection interval of early modification standard nose landing gear assemblies. There is no change to inspections of later standard nose landing gear assemblies.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by PART 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, was enacted to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft operating within Australia. This legislation was introduced to address specific safety concerns identified in certain aircraft components, particularly the nose landing gear of British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes, as outlined in AD/BAe146/40 Amendment 2. This amendment was enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is responsible for enforcing regulations to maintain the highest safety standards in the aviation industry. The policy objective of this directive is to mitigate the risk of fatigue cracks in the nose landing gear, ensuring the safety of passengers and crew by mandating regular inspections and maintenance procedures.
This legislative instrument was established in response to reports of cracking in the nose landing gear of specific British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. The initial requirement for a one-off inspection aimed to gather data that would inform the development of future control actions. Subsequent amendments, such as Amendment 2, have refined these requirements to include more frequent inspections and reflect the latest revision status of the relevant documents. This amendment reduces the inspection interval for early modification standard nose landing gear assemblies while maintaining the inspection frequency for later standard assemblies, thereby enhancing the overall safety and reliability of the aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the requirements for the airworthiness of British Aerospace BAe 146 series aeroplanes through the issuance of airworthiness directives. This legislation applies to all aircraft fitted with specific nose landing gear parts, namely P/N 200876001/002/003/004 or 201138002, and is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The directive mandates that these aircraft must undergo inspections for fatigue cracks in the nose landing gear using a high frequency eddy current method, as outlined in British Aerospace BAe 146 Inspection Service Bulletin No 32-131 Revision 3. Compliance with this directive requires specific inspections before exceeding certain landing thresholds, with re-inspections conducted at intervals not to exceed 2000 or 8000 landings, depending on the part in question. The directive has an effective date of 1 February 1996 and was originally prompted by reports of cracking in early modification standard nose landing gear assemblies, leading to a requirement for repetitive inspections to ensure ongoing safety and airworthiness of the aircraft.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, mandate particular safety measures for British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. Section 39-105 focuses on Airworthiness Directives, with Amendment 2 concerning the nose landing gear upper main fitting. According to section 2, all aircraft fitted with specific nose landing gear parts (P/N 200876001/002/003/004 or 201138002) are required to undergo an inspection to detect fatigue cracks using a high frequency eddy current method, as detailed in British Aerospace BAe 146 Inspection Service Bulletin No 32-131 Revision 3.
Operators and owners of aircraft governed by this legislation must comply with the specified inspection intervals. For nose landing gear parts P/N 200876001 and 200876003, the initial inspection must occur before the aircraft exceeds 4000 landings or 400 landings after 1 February 1996, whichever is later. Subsequent inspections must occur at intervals not exceeding 2000 landings. For nose landing gear parts P/N 200876002, 200876004, and 201138002, the initial inspection must occur before the aircraft exceeds 16,000 landings, with subsequent inspections occurring at intervals not exceeding 8,000 landings.
Failure to comply with these directives may result in significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has the authority to enforce these regulations and may take action against non-compliance. Penalties for breaches could include fines, enforcement notices, or other administrative actions as deemed necessary by the Authority. The severity of these penalties depends on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, but they are designed to ensure that all aircraft meet the required safety standards. Non-compliance can also lead to grounding of the aircraft, further exacerbating operational disruptions and potential safety risks.