AD/BAe 146/55 - Lift Spoilers Warning Light

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the safety directives related to aircraft airworthiness, including the BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes. This legislation was enacted to ensure that aircraft meet certain safety standards and to address any identified safety risks. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, under the authority of the Australian Government, issued the AD/BAe 146/55 Airworthiness Directive to ensure compliance with safety standards. This particular directive mandates the modification of BAe 146 Series 100, 100A, 200, and 200A aircraft to include a specific warning light system that activates if the lift spoilers fail to deploy on landing. The policy objective is to enhance the safety of flight operations by ensuring that flight crews are promptly alerted to critical system failures, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. Compliance with this directive was required prior to 30 June 1996, reflecting a commitment to timely implementation of safety measures in civil aviation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to specific types of aircraft, particularly the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series 100, 100A, 200, and 200A models. This legislation mandates modifications to these aircraft to ensure compliance with safety directives. The requirement outlined in the directive involves fitting an amber warning light to the glareshield, which activates if the lift spoilers fail to deploy during landing. This enhancement is crucial in alerting the flight crew to potential issues, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. The directive refers to British Aerospace, Regional Aircraft Limited, Avro International Division Mandatory Service Bulletin SB.27-70-00913A&B Revision 9 dated 21 November 1994, and compliance must be achieved before 30 June 1996. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of this regulation is nationwide, as it is implemented by CASA, which has the authority to enforce compliance across Australia. This specific directive does not mention any exclusions or exemptions but is clear in its requirement for specific aircraft models to adhere to the outlined safety modifications.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 and specifically Section 105, include a schedule of airworthiness directives, one of which pertains to British Aerospace BAe 146 Series aeroplanes. The directive AD/BAe 146/55 mandates the installation of a lift spoilers warning light on the glareshield of the specified aircraft models. This requirement is outlined in Section 12/95, which applies to BAe 146 Series 100, 100A, 200 and 200A aircraft as referenced in British Aerospace, Regional Aircraft Limited, Avro International Division's Mandatory Service Bulletin SB.27-70-00913A&B Revision 9 dated 21 November 1994. The directive stipulates that the aircraft must be modified in accordance with the aforementioned service bulletin unless such modifications have already been completed. This modification is critical as it involves the installation of an amber warning light that illuminates if the lift spoilers fail to deploy during landing. This safety measure aims to reduce the risk of flight crew overlooking the deployment of lift spoilers, thus enhancing the safety of landing procedures. Compliance with this directive is mandatory and must be achieved before 30 June 1996. The directive references CAA(UK) AD 008-02-94, indicating that this requirement is aligned with or derived from a similar directive issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. This alignment suggests a collaborative effort between Australian and UK aviation authorities to ensure consistent safety standards across jurisdictions. Failure to comply with the directive could result in the aircraft not meeting the required airworthiness standards. This could potentially lead to operational restrictions or grounding of the aircraft until the necessary modifications are made. Furthermore, non-compliance could be viewed as a breach of aviation safety regulations, leading to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and possibly resulting in fines or other penalties as stipulated by the Civil Aviation Act 1988. The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the breach and any subsequent investigations by regulatory bodies.