COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters
AD/BELL 205/43 Engine Air Inlet Screen - Inspection 5/79
Applicability: All models fitted with P/N 204-060-217-013 air inlet screens.
Requirement: Visually inspect the air inlet screen for failure of either end of the wire frame diagonal braces at, or adjacent to, the welded junctions.
Compliance: Within 10 hours time in service after 5 April 1979 and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 10 hours time in service.
Background: There have been at least three local cases of failure of the air inlet screen diagonal braces. In one case the brace was injected into the engine, and resulted in engine failure.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, govern a myriad of aspects related to civil aviation safety, with the aim of ensuring the highest standards of airworthiness and operational safety. One of the specific instruments under these regulations is the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which includes AD/BELL 205/43 concerning the inspection of Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters' air inlet screens. This directive was introduced to address a recognised safety concern: the failure of the air inlet screen's diagonal braces, which had led to several incidents, including one severe case of engine failure due to a brace being ingested into the engine. The policy objective is to mitigate these risks by mandating regular visual inspections of the air inlet screen to ensure the integrity of the wire frame diagonal braces.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as incorporated in PART 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, specifically pertains to Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters equipped with the particular air inlet screen part number 204-060-217-013. This regulation applies to all such models and mandates a visual inspection of the air inlet screen to ensure the integrity of the wire frame diagonal braces, particularly at or adjacent to the welded junctions, to prevent failures that could lead to engine damage. The inspection must occur within 10 hours of time in service after 5 April 1979, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 10 hours of time in service. The regulation is applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and its jurisdictional reach is national. There are no specific exclusions or exemptions outlined in this directive, meaning that all affected helicopters must comply with the specified inspection requirements. The application of this directive may be further detailed or modified through subordinate instruments issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39-105, mandate specific requirements for the airworthiness directives concerning Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters. Section AD/BELL 205/43 focuses on the inspection of the engine air inlet screen, which must be visually checked for any failure of the wire frame diagonal braces, specifically at or near the welded junctions (Section 5/79). This directive applies to all models equipped with the P/N 204-060-217-013 air inlet screens. The requirement is to perform this inspection within 10 hours of time in service after 5 April 1979, and subsequently, the inspection must occur at intervals not exceeding 10 hours of time in service.
This legislation imposes a clear obligation on the operators of Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters to ensure that the specified inspections are carried out diligently and consistently. The operators must visually inspect the air inlet screens to identify any potential failures in the wire frame diagonal braces, particularly at the welded junctions. The inspections must be performed as per the stipulated timeframes, which are within 10 hours of time in service after 5 April 1979 and then at intervals not exceeding 10 hours of time in service thereafter. These inspections are crucial to maintaining the safety and airworthiness of the helicopters, given the documented cases of air inlet screen failures that have led to engine failure.
Failure to comply with the provisions set out in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 can result in significant consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed within the text, it is understood that non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. These actions can include fines, prosecution, and potential grounding of the aircraft until compliance is achieved. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the inspection requirements stipulated in the regulations.