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/BAe 146/46
Amdt 1
Generator Control Unit 6/93
Applicability: BAe 146 Series 100/100A, 200/200A and 300/300A aircraft identified in British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Limited Service Bulletin SB.24-91-70488B&C dated 28 January 1993.
Requirement: Action in accordance with British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Limited Mandatory Service Bulletin SB.24-91-70488B&C dated 28 January 1993.
Note: CAA(UK) AD 023-01-93 refers.
Compliance: Prior to 1 March 1996.
Background: The aircraft manufacturer has established that a single phase fault current between 175 amps and 270 amps can activate the GCU undervoltage protection circuit rather than the overcurrent protection circuit resulting in the sequential loss of each main generator since the auto transfer circuit is not inhibited on undervoltage. Compliance with this Directive will decrease the probability of sequential generator loss.
This amendment aligns the requirements with those of the country of origin’s Airworthiness Directive.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, is a piece of legislation enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia aimed at ensuring the airworthiness of aircraft operating within the country. One of the key components of this regulation is the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which includes various directives pertaining to different aircraft models. This particular directive, AD/BAe 146/46, addresses issues related to the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. The directive was introduced to address a specific problem identified with the generator control unit (GCU) of BAe 146 Series 100/100A, 200/200A, and 300/300A aircraft, which could potentially lead to a sequential loss of each main generator if a single phase fault current between 175 amps and 270 amps activated the GCU undervoltage protection circuit. The policy objective behind this directive is to decrease the probability of such an occurrence by requiring compliance with the manufacturer's service bulletin, thereby ensuring the continued safety and airworthiness of these aircraft.
The directive is a response to a British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Limited Service Bulletin and aligns with the requirements set by the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority. It mandates that the action specified in the service bulletin be completed prior to 1 March 1996 to ensure that the aircraft meet the necessary safety standards. This alignment with international standards underscores the commitment to maintaining high safety benchmarks in civil aviation within Australia.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which in this instance applies to the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. The regulation concerns an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued for the Generator Control Unit of BAe 146 Series 100/100A, 200/200A, and 300/300A aircraft. This directive applies to aircraft identified in British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Limited Service Bulletin SB.24-91-70488B&C dated 28 January 1993, and mandates compliance with the actions outlined in this bulletin. The requirement is for aircraft operators to implement the directive to prevent a single phase fault current from activating the GCU undervoltage protection circuit, thereby avoiding sequential loss of each main generator due to the auto transfer circuit not being inhibited on undervoltage. Compliance with this directive must be achieved prior to 1 March 1996 to ensure airworthiness standards are met. This regulatory directive aligns with the requirements of the UK's Civil Aviation Authority Airworthiness Directive AD 023-01-93.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, include a Schedule of Airworthiness Directives that govern the maintenance and operation of various aircraft, including the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/BAe 146/46 Amendment 1, pertains to the Generator Control Unit (GCU) and applies to BAe 146 Series 100/100A, 200/200A, and 300/300A aircraft identified in the manufacturer's Service Bulletin SB.24-91-70488B&C dated 28 January 1993 (Section 1). The directive mandates that operators must comply with the action specified in the aforementioned service bulletin (Section 2).
Operators of the affected BAe 146 aircraft are obligated to ensure that the GCU is modified as per the instructions outlined in Service Bulletin SB.24-91-70488B&C to mitigate the risk of sequential generator loss. This requirement is critical for maintaining the aircraft's airworthiness and ensuring safety during flight. The compliance date for this directive was set before 1 March 1996, indicating the urgency and importance of the modifications (Section 3).
Failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directive AD/BAe 146/46 Amendment 1 may result in significant safety risks, as the unaddressed issue could lead to the sequential loss of each main generator. Although the specific penalties or consequences for non-compliance are not detailed in the provided text, it is likely that such failure could result in enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which might include fines, grounding of the aircraft, or other regulatory sanctions to ensure adherence to the safety directive. These consequences underscore the necessity for operators to take the directive seriously and complete the required actions in a timely manner.