COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Beechcraft 65 and 70 (Queen Air) Series Aeroplanes
AD/BEECH 65/64 Wing Structural Fatigue Limitation 12/88
Applicability: All models listed in the Retirement Schedule below. For models not listed, the Authority must be contacted as a fatigue evaluation has not yet been carried out.
Requirement: Retire from service the centre section and outer wing main spar lower caps, including the centre section to outer wing attachment fittings.
RETIREMENT SCHEDULE
Model | Retirement Life | Average Take-off Weight | Average Time per Flight Stage |
65 ) A65) | 27500 hours | 3200 kg | 45 minutes |
65-80 | 22000 hours | 3350 kg | 45 minutes |
65-A80 | 13500 hours | 3500 kg | 45 minutes |
65-A80-8800 | 10400 hours | 3700 kg | 45 minutes |
A65-8200 ) 70 ) | 13500 hours | 3500 kg | 45 minutes |
65-B80 | 10400 hours | 3700 kg | 45 minutes |
Note 1: This Retirement Schedule is based on certain assumptions regarding average cruise weight, and also assumes one flight per hour. Should the average take-off weight, assessed over the life of the aircraft, be greater than the values shown in the Retirement Schedule, the Authority must be advised as it will be necessary to re- assess the life limitation. Similarly, the Authority must be advised if the average time per flight stage (lift-off to touchdown) is shorter than the value shown.
Note 2: Some aircraft have been fitted with engines of a different type to the original, including IO-720 installation to US FAA STC SA444SW. Whilst the engine installation itself would not normally affect the wing life limitation, for some models there is a concomitant MTOW increase and thus NOTE 1 may be applicable.
Note 3: For aircraft which, because of an unusual operational role, have had individual life assessments approved by the Authority prior to 1 December 1988, those assessments still stand.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Note 4: On the basis of the currently available fatigue substantiation for the aircraft, only one spar cap replacement is permitted. Any proposal for a further extension in life incorporating a second spar change must be supported by a substantiation covering all the remaining primary structure including empennage, control surface hinge arms etc. This substantiation must incorporate a safe life assessment, or a sufficiently rigorous revised inspection schedule to ensure that any fatigue cracking which could occur in service will be detected before the aircraft is endangered. A third spar change will not be permitted.
Effective: Forthwith.
Background: The Queen Air fatigue lives were previously promulgated by AD/BEECH 65/19, 20 and 21. They were reviewed in the course of assessing a re-engining modification which is applicable to all models. This review showed some inconsistencies in the lives, having regard to the fact that a range of models have structurally similar wings and should thus have the same life for a given configuration/weight etc. The inconsistencies have been resolved and all retirement lives now relate to a common basis of either short span or long span wing. Differences between models are accounted for purely because of weight/configuration.
Lives for some models have been extended slightly, but it has been necessary to reduce the 65-A80 life by 500 hours. A separate life has also been listed for the 65- A80-8800 which may appear to be a life reduction, but which is in fact consistent with the 65-A80 life taken in conjunction with the increased weight, in accordance with NOTE 1. For aircraft of this model which are nearing the life limitation as at 1 December 1988, consideration will be given to approval of concession applications for some restoration of life to reduce the economic penalty. However, safety will not be compromised.
Because of the availability of modifications which may increase the MTOW for some models and hence lead to a life reduction, it has become necessary to list lives for the 65, 65-80 and A65 (short span) models which were previously not published because they were so long.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, serve to ensure the safety of civil aviation. Among these regulations, Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives focuses on maintaining the airworthiness of specific aircraft models, including the Beechcraft 65 and 70 (Queen Air) Series Aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/BEECH 65/64, addresses wing structural fatigue limitations for these aircraft models. This directive was introduced to resolve inconsistencies in the previously promulgated fatigue lives and to provide a more uniform and safety-focused approach to managing the structural integrity of the aircraft's wings. The policy objective is to ensure that the structural limitations are based on a common basis, taking into account configuration and weight, and to avoid any compromise on safety while balancing economic considerations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 – 105, governs the airworthiness directives for Beechcraft 65 and 70 (Queen Air) series aeroplanes through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This legislation applies to all models listed in the Retirement Schedule of the specified Airworthiness Directives, and requires the retirement of specific structural components, namely the centre section and outer wing main spar lower caps, including the centre section to outer wing attachment fittings. For models not listed, CASA must be contacted for a fatigue evaluation. The directive applies to the listed models based on their average take-off weight and average flight time per stage, with specific retirement hours outlined for each model in the Retirement Schedule. CASA must be notified if the actual average take-off weight or flight time per stage deviates from the assumptions made in the Retirement Schedule, as this may necessitate a re-assessment of the life limitation. The legislation also notes that aircraft with differing engines may still be subject to the same retirement life unless there is a concomitant increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW), in which case CASA must be informed. Additionally, any aircraft that had individual life assessments approved by CASA prior to 1 December 1988 retains those assessments. This directive is effective immediately and is intended to ensure the continued safety of these aircraft by addressing structural fatigue.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, includes Airworthiness Directives for Beechcraft 65 and 70 (Queen Air) Series Aeroplanes, detailing the structural fatigue limitations and retirement schedules for specific components of the aircraft (AD/BEECH 65/64). The directive applies to all models listed in the Retirement Schedule, which outlines the number of flight hours and average take-off weight that each model can sustain before the centre section and outer wing main spar lower caps, including the centre section to outer wing attachment fittings, must be retired from service (Section 1). For models not listed, it is necessary to contact the Authority to determine if a fatigue evaluation has been conducted and what the specific requirements might be.
The obligations imposed by this directive require aircraft owners or operators to adhere to the specified retirement schedules (Section 2). These schedules are based on certain assumptions regarding average cruise weight and flight duration, and require operators to notify the Authority if their aircraft's actual flight parameters deviate significantly from the assumptions. Additionally, if any aircraft have undergone individual life assessments prior to 1 December 1988, those assessments are still valid unless otherwise specified by the Authority. It is also noted that only one spar cap replacement is permitted, and any proposal for an additional extension in life must be supported by a substantiation covering all remaining primary structures.
Failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directives can result in serious consequences (Section 3). The specific penalties for breach of these directives are not detailed in the provided text, but typically, non-compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations can result in substantial fines, potential grounding of the aircraft, and legal action against the aircraft owner or operator. The safety of the aircraft and its passengers is paramount, and any deviation from the mandated requirements could be considered a serious breach of aviation safety standards.