AD/BEECH 60/24 - Second Row Seats

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, were introduced to provide comprehensive safety regulations for civil aviation within Australia. These regulations are overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and aim to ensure that civil aviation operations are conducted in a safe and efficient manner. One specific aspect of these regulations, detailed in the legislative instrument F2006B04085, is the Airworthiness Directive AD/BEECH 60/24 concerning Beechcraft 60 (Duke) Series Aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address a safety concern related to the rear attachment rails of the first and second row seats in these aircraft. The policy objective is to ensure that the specified aircraft meet the necessary safety standards by requiring an inspection and, if necessary, the modification of the seat attachment rails to prevent any safety hazards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as detailed in PART 39 - 105, mandates specific airworthiness directives for certain aircraft, including the Beechcraft 60 (Duke) series aeroplanes. These directives apply to all models within this series, requiring inspections and modifications to the rear attachment rails of the first and second row seats to ensure they possess stops at the forward ends. This requirement extends to fitting stop assemblies P/N 414-180657-3 or an equivalent approved by the Secretary if such stops are absent. The directive is jurisdictional in scope, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia, and the compliance deadline was set before 1 April 1974. The regulations do not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions but are enforced through subordinate instruments that may further detail the application and compliance requirements.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly under Part 39, contain the Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Beechcraft 60 (Duke) Series Aeroplanes, specifically AD/BEECH 60/24, which pertains to second row seats (section 1). This directive requires all models of the Beechcraft 60 series to undergo an inspection of the rear attachment rails of both the first and second row seats to ensure they have stops at the forward ends (section 2). If any of these rails are found to be without stops, the directive mandates that these rails be modified by fitting stop assemblies, specifically P/N 414-180657-3 or an equivalent that has been approved by the Secretary (section 3). The compliance deadline for these modifications is before 1 April 1974. Entities governed by these regulations, including aircraft operators and maintenance organisations, must ensure that the specified inspections and modifications are conducted in accordance with the directive. This involves a thorough examination of the rear attachment rails of both the first and second row seats and the installation of stop assemblies if necessary. The regulations place the responsibility on these entities to ensure that the aircraft meet the required airworthiness standards set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/BEECH 60/24 can result in serious consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 outline potential offences and penalties for non-compliance. Specifically, operators who fail to adhere to the airworthiness directives may face enforcement actions from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. These actions could include fines, suspension or revocation of air operator certificates, and other administrative measures. The severity of the penalties reflects the critical importance of maintaining aircraft safety and airworthiness standards.