Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, include a legislative instrument known as Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which was enacted to address specific safety concerns in the operation of aircraft. This particular instrument, F2006B04711, pertains to the Bell Helicopter Textron 47 (all variants) series helicopters and mandates the replacement of hydraulic servo to swashplate control plate attachment bolts in all 47G, J, and K series aircraft to ensure safety and compliance with regulatory standards. This airworthiness directive was introduced in response to reported incidents of failures in the flight control systems due to the incorrect use of AN Standard bolts instead of the required BHTI standard bolts. The objective of this directive is to rectify this issue and prevent future occurrences, thereby enhancing the safety of civil aviation operations. The Australian Parliament enacts these regulations through the Civil Aviation Act 1988, which provides the legislative framework for ensuring the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in Australia.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which governs the maintenance and operation of aircraft within Australia. The directive AD/BELL 47/89 applies to all Bell Helicopter Textron 47 (47G, J and K series) helicopters and mandates compliance with the specifications outlined in Bell Alert Service Bulletin 47-83-8. This directive is in response to reported failures of AN Standard bolts in the flight control systems' hydraulic servo to swashplate control plate attachment, where BHTI standard bolts should have been used. Operators and owners of the specified Bell 47 series helicopters must ensure that the correct bolts are installed and that compliance is achieved by 31 December 1983. The directive's scope is limited to the aircraft models mentioned, and it does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions. The application of this directive can be extended or modified through subordinate instruments as necessary to address safety concerns.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, specifically addresses the Bell Helicopter Textron 47 (All Variants) Series Helicopters through AD/BELL 47/89. This Airworthiness Directive focuses on flight control systems, particularly the hydraulic servo to swashplate control plate attachment bolts (Section 1). The directive applies to all 47G, J, and K series aircraft and mandates compliance by referencing Bell Alert Service Bulletin 47-83-8 (Section 2). The compliance deadline set by this directive is 31 December 1983 (Section 3). The primary obligation imposed by this directive is the requirement for operators of 47G, J, and K series helicopters to ensure that the hydraulic servo to swashplate control plate attachment bolts conform to the specified standards. Specifically, operators must verify that the correct BHTI standard bolts are installed in the designated flight control application, as there have been reported instances of failures when AN standard bolts were used instead (Section 4). This directive is crucial for maintaining the integrity and safety of the flight control systems on these aircraft. Failure to comply with AD/BELL 47/89 could result in serious safety implications due to the potential for in-flight failures of the flight control systems. Under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, non-compliance with an Airworthiness Directive can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Penalties for non-compliance may include fines, aircraft grounding, or other regulatory actions that could affect the operator's ability to fly the aircraft until the required compliance is achieved. While specific penalties are not detailed in this directive, the overarching regulations provide for significant enforcement measures to ensure adherence to safety standards.