AD/BELL 412/20 - Bolts P/N AN4-5A - Pylon Support

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, are designed to ensure the safety and regulation of civil aviation within Australia. Specifically, Part 39 - 105 of these regulations includes detailed directives concerning airworthiness, which aim to maintain and enhance the safety standards of aircraft. One such directive is AD/BELL 412/20, which pertains to the Bell Helicopter Textron 412 Series Helicopters, requiring compliance with Bell Helicopter Alert SB 412-88-38 regarding the pylon support bolts. This directive addresses the problem of certain helicopters being delivered with incomplete pylon support installations, specifically missing bolts in the pylon support of model 412 helicopters serial numbers 33001 through 33171. The policy objective is to ensure that these aircraft are maintained to a standard that guarantees their airworthiness, thereby protecting both the passengers and crew onboard.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as detailed in PART 39 - 105 and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, mandate specific safety requirements for certain aircraft models, including the Bell Helicopter Textron 412 Series Helicopters. Specifically, Airworthiness Directive AD/BELL 412/20 mandates corrective action for Bell Helicopter Textron 412 Series Helicopters with serial numbers ranging from 33001 to 33171. This directive requires compliance with Bell Helicopter Alert SB 412-88-38, which addresses the issue of pylon support bolts. Compliance must be achieved at the next scheduled maintenance inspection following 3 November 1988. The regulation applies directly to the named serial numbers of the specified helicopter model, ensuring that these aircraft meet the necessary safety standards as outlined by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The directive does not extend to other aircraft models or serial numbers not specified within the directive.

Key Provisions

The main sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105, specifically focusing on the airworthiness directive AD/BELL 412/20, outline a requirement for all Bell Helicopter Textron 412 Series helicopters with serial numbers ranging from 33001 to 33171. According to section (1), these aircraft must adhere to the action specified in Bell Helicopter Alert SB 412-88-38. This action is necessary to address the issue of pylon support bolts being missing from the installation. The compliance clause (2) mandates that the corrective action be undertaken at the next scheduled maintenance inspection following 3 November 1988. The obligations imposed by this directive are clear and straightforward. All operators of the specified Bell 412 Series helicopters must ensure that the required bolts are installed as per the referenced Bell Helicopter Alert SB 412-88-38. This involves identifying the missing bolts and completing their installation during the next scheduled inspection. Operators must also maintain records of this action to demonstrate compliance with the airworthiness directive. Failure to comply with the airworthiness directive could lead to serious consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance may result in enforcement actions being taken against the operators. Potential civil penalties include fines and, in severe cases, the grounding of the affected aircraft until the required compliance is achieved. Additionally, the failure to adhere to these directives could lead to safety issues, resulting in criminal charges if negligence or intentional disregard of safety regulations is found. The maximum penalties for such breaches can be significant, reflecting the critical nature of airworthiness compliance.