AD/BEECH 23/40 - Horizontal Stabiliser Aft Centre Spar

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, was enacted to provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring the airworthiness of aircraft operating within Australia. One of the legislative instruments under this schedule is AD/BEECH 23/40, which addresses a critical safety issue identified with certain models of Beechcraft aeroplanes. The problem it was introduced to address relates to the horizontal stabiliser aft centre spar, which required specific inspection and potentially modification to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft. This legislation was enacted by the Australian Government, with the overarching policy objective of maintaining the highest safety standards in civil aviation. The requirement outlined in this directive mandates that specific models of Beechcraft aeroplanes must undergo regular inspections of their horizontal stabiliser skins and aft centre spar, with detailed procedures provided by Beechcraft S.I. No. 1167, to ensure compliance with airworthiness standards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, pertains to the inspection and modification requirements for certain Beechcraft 19, 23, and 24 series aeroplanes. This regulation applies to specific models and serial numbers of these aircraft, including A23-19, 19A, M19A and B19, among others, as detailed in AD/BEECH 23/40. The directive is designed to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of these aircraft by mandating inspections of the horizontal stabiliser skins and the aft centre spar in accordance with the procedures outlined in Beechcraft S.I. No. 1167. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for aircraft that have accumulated more than 500 hours of operational time, necessitating inspections within 100 hours of service and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 200 hours until the specified modifications are completed.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39, Section 105, detail the requirements for airworthiness directives related to certain models of Beechcraft aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/BEECH 23/40, pertains to the horizontal stabiliser aft centre spar of Beechcraft 19, 23, and 24 series aeroplanes (Section 105). This directive applies to a specified range of serial numbers across various models of these aircraft, as outlined in the applicability clause (Section 105). The requirement under this directive is that the horizontal stabiliser skins and aft centre spar must be inspected in accordance with procedures outlined in Beechcraft S.I. No. 1167 (Section 105). The inspections must be carried out for aircraft that have accumulated over 500 hours of time in service, with the initial inspection due within 100 hours of reaching this threshold, and subsequent inspections required at intervals not exceeding 200 hours of time in service until the aircraft is modified (Section 105). The obligations imposed by this directive are clear and straightforward. Aircraft owners and operators must ensure that the specified inspections are conducted by qualified personnel in adherence with the procedures outlined in Beechcraft S.I. No. 1167. For aircraft that have surpassed the 500-hour mark, a timely inspection must be scheduled, with ongoing inspections at the prescribed intervals to maintain compliance with airworthiness standards (Section 105). This ongoing commitment to regular inspections is critical to ensure the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft, as per the requirements set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Failure to comply with the airworthiness directive AD/BEECH 23/40 can result in serious consequences. While the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly detail penalties in this section, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can lead to enforcement actions by CASA. Such actions might include the grounding of the aircraft, the imposition of fines, or other regulatory sanctions. The severity of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the inspection and maintenance requirements outlined in the directive to ensure the continued safe operation of the aircraft (Section 105).