Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address potential unsafe conditions related to the environmental control systems of BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ series aircraft. This directive, known as AD/BAe 146/98, was introduced to rectify issues identified with the discharge valves and pressure controllers of the aircraft's environmental control system. The directive was enacted following the insufficiency of a previous corrective measure, CASA AD/BAe146/85 Amdt 1, which has since been superseded. The Airworthiness Directive requires compliance with the tasks specified in BAE Systems (Operations) Limited ISB.21-155, a document classified as mandatory by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and became effective on 16 May 2002. The directive aims to ensure the safety and airworthiness of the specified aircraft series by mandating specific inspection and corrective actions.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under PART 39 - 105, pertain to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and its role in issuing Airworthiness Directives (AD) to address safety concerns within the aviation industry. This particular AD applies to BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ series aircraft as specified in BAE Systems (Operation) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.21-155. The directive mandates that specific inspection and maintenance tasks must be conducted to rectify identified unsafe conditions associated with the environmental control system of the aircraft. The directive applies to aircraft registered and operated within Australia, extending CASA's regulatory oversight to ensure compliance with safety standards. The AD becomes effective as of 16 May 2002, and any non-compliance may result in regulatory action against the operators of the affected aircraft. The directive also references the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s classification of the requirement document as mandatory, further underscoring the importance and universality of the safety measures outlined.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, include a Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that are issued to ensure the safety of aircraft. One such AD, AD/BAe 146/98, pertains to the British Aerospace BAe 146 Series Aeroplanes and addresses the inspection of the environmental control system (section 1). The directive mandates that specific actions be taken to correct unsafe conditions identified with the aircraft’s environmental control system. The AD applies to BAe 146 and AVRO 146-RJ series aircraft, as identified in BAE Systems (Operations) Limited ISB.21-155 (section 2). The requirement section specifies the tasks outlined in ISB.21-155, which must be carried out by the operators of these aircraft. These tasks are considered mandatory and have been classified as such by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (section 3). Compliance with the directive must be achieved by the time specified in the requirement document, with a revised effective date of 16 May 2002, making the AD effective from this date (section 4). The obligations imposed by the AD on the relevant parties, primarily the aircraft operators, include adherence to the specified inspection and maintenance tasks outlined in ISB.21-155. This involves conducting the necessary inspections and repairs to ensure the environmental control system is functioning correctly and safely (section 5). Operators must ensure that these actions are performed in accordance with the instructions provided by the AD to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft (section 6). Failure to comply with the requirements of the AD may result in serious safety hazards and potential legal consequences. There are no explicit penalties mentioned within the text of the AD itself, but non-compliance with ADs can lead to significant civil or criminal consequences under other provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations. Operators who fail to comply with an AD may face penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as determined by the courts. The maximum penalties for non-compliance can be substantial, reflecting the serious nature of air safety regulations (section 7).