AD/BEECH 55/37 Amdt 1 - Fuel Line Chafing

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted to provide for the regulation of civil aviation in Australia and to establish safety standards for aircraft operations. Specifically, Part 39 - 105 pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which ensures that aircraft meet safety standards through the issuance of specific directives. One such directive is AD/BEECH 55/37 Amendment 1, introduced on 12 July 1978, which addresses the issue of fuel line chafing in certain models of Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes. This directive applies to models 95-C55, 95-C55A, D55, D55A, E55, and E55A with serial numbers TC-350 and TE-1 to TE-1137, as well as models 58 and 58A with serial numbers TH-1 to TH-955. The primary objective of this directive is to mandate action in accordance with Beechcraft Service Information (SI) No. 0602-282, Revision 1, with compliance required within 100 hours of time in service after 31 December 1978. The directive notes that compliance with the preceding issue of this directive also satisfies compliance with this issue.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Legislative instrument F2006B03985, establish specific airworthiness directives that apply to certain types of aircraft, such as the Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes. The regulation applies to particular models within these series, specifically those with specific serial numbers. The directive mandates that these aircraft must adhere to the action outlined in Beechcraft Service Information Notice No. 0602-282, Revision 1, concerning fuel line chafing. Compliance with this directive is required within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service after 31 December 1978. Notably, compliance with the previous issue of this directive is also deemed satisfactory for this current issue, providing some flexibility for operators. This regulation is enforced under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, covering all relevant aircraft within the specified Commonwealth jurisdiction.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically AD/BEECH 55/37 Amendment 1, pertain to the Beechcraft 55, 58 and 95-55 (Baron) Series Aeroplanes. Section 12/78 of the regulations sets out the applicability of the directive, indicating that it applies to certain models of the Beechcraft aeroplanes with specific serial numbers (section 1). The requirement for compliance is detailed in Beechcraft Service Information (SI) No. 0602-282, Revision 1, which must be followed to address fuel line chafing issues (section 2). Compliance must be achieved within 100 hours’ time in service following 31 December 1978, and adherence to the preceding issue of the directive also satisfies compliance with this directive (section 3). The Act imposes several obligations on the parties involved, including the necessity to adhere to the specified service information to rectify fuel line chafing issues. Aircraft operators, maintenance personnel, and other relevant parties must ensure that the required actions are completed within the stipulated timeframe. The directive applies to specific models of Beechcraft aeroplanes, and compliance involves addressing any identified chafing issues in the fuel lines to maintain airworthiness standards. This is crucial for ensuring the safety of flights and preventing potential hazards that could arise from fuel line damage. Failure to comply with the provisions of AD/BEECH 55/37 Amendment 1 may result in serious safety concerns. The Act does not explicitly outline offences, penalties, or consequences for non-compliance within the text provided; however, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally carries significant risk to the safety of aircraft operations. Potential consequences may include regulatory action, enforcement by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and the possibility of grounding the aircraft until the required actions are completed. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the excerpt, non-compliance could lead to substantial civil and criminal liabilities, as per broader regulations within the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.