Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, aims to ensure the safety of civil aviation operations in Australia. In addressing potential safety concerns identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding specific elevator skin assemblies on Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued Airworthiness Directive AD/BEECH 55/86 on 28 December 2000. This directive mandates that all affected aircraft must undergo a check to determine if their elevator skin assemblies are installed correctly, with any affected assemblies to be replaced before further flight. The directive was issued in response to reports that certain elevator skin assemblies did not receive a necessary 250-degree Fahrenheit bake operation after corrosion treatment, which could lead to skin separation and potential loss of control of the aircraft. The policy objective is to mitigate the risk of in-flight flutter and ensure the continued airworthiness of the specified aircraft models.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes, identified by their respective model and serial numbers. The directive mandates that the action set out in the requirement section must be taken to rectify an identified unsafe condition. This action involves checking and, if necessary, replacing the magnesium metal bonded elevator assembly as per the instructions in Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 27-3396, issued in May 2000. The directive applies to aircraft within the specified serial number ranges and requires compliance before further flight. The AD, which becomes effective on 28 December 2000, mandates that the required checks and actions must be completed by 28 January 2001. The directive extends across the Commonwealth of Australia, enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and applies nationally, ensuring the safety and airworthiness of the specified aircraft models.

Key Provisions

The main sections of this Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR) Airworthiness Directive (AD) are the applicability (1), requirement (2), and compliance (3) sections. The AD applies to Beechcraft 55, 58, and 95-55 (Baron) series aeroplanes with specified model and serial numbers (1). It mandates that elevator skin assemblies which did not receive a 250 degree Fahrenheit bake operation after corrosion treatment be checked and, if affected, replaced (2). The action must be completed before further flight and, for most affected aircraft, before 28 January 2001 (3). The AD requires that the specified Beechcraft aeroplanes undergo checks and repairs to elevator skin assemblies to prevent potential skin separation, which could lead to loss of control (1). Operators of these aircraft must follow the instructions in Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 27-3396 (May 2000, revised June 2000) to identify and replace affected elevator skin assemblies (2). Failure to comply with the AD by the specified deadlines may result in the aircraft being considered unairworthy, which could prevent it from flying until the required actions are taken (3). The AD specifies that operators of the affected aircraft must ensure that elevator skin assemblies are checked and replaced if necessary, in accordance with the AD's requirements and timeline (1). Non-compliance with the AD could result in the aircraft being grounded until the required checks and repairs are completed (2). The AD does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance, but failure to comply could lead to the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, potentially resulting in legal and financial consequences for the operator (3).