COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2 Series Aeroplanes
AD/BN-2/61
Amdt 1
Main Landing Gear Attachment Bolts 6/98
Applicability: Model BN-2, BN-2A, and BN-2B Series and BN-2T Islanders.
Requirement: Action in accordance with Pilatus Britten-Norman Mandatory Service Bulletin BN- 2/SB.231 Issue 2.
Note: UK CAA AD 008-10-96 refers.
Compliance: Unless already accomplished, within 50 landings after 21 May 1998.
This amendment becomes effective on 21 May 1998.
Background: The action required by this Directive is to ensure that the bolts that attach the lower fitting of the main landing gear to the nacelle do not become thread bound. Due to skin thickness tolerances, bolts with only one washer installed can cause play to occur at the MLG bottom fitting. If play occurs in this area, it can cause cracks in the nacelle box structure.
Amendment 1 is issued in response to Issue 2 of the Requirement document.
The original issue of this airworthiness directive became effective on 24 April 1997.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, are a key piece of legislation governing aviation safety in Australia, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). A specific focus of these regulations is encapsulated in Part 39 - 105, which pertains to the schedules of airworthiness directives for various aircraft. One such directive, AD/BN-2/61 Amendment 1, was introduced to address a safety issue with Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2 Series aeroplanes. This amendment, effective from 21 May 1998, aims to ensure that the main landing gear attachment bolts do not become thread-bound, which could lead to structural integrity issues. The directive requires compliance within 50 landings after the effective date, and it references UK Civil Aviation Authority AD 008-10-96, highlighting the collaborative nature of international aviation safety standards. The overarching policy objective is to maintain and enhance the safety of air travel by ensuring that all aircraft meet stringent airworthiness criteria.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, which governs airworthiness directives, mandates compliance with the specified requirements for the Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2 series aeroplanes, including the BN-2, BN-2A, BN-2B, and BN-2T Islander models. The directive applies to any aircraft of these models and requires actions in accordance with the Pilatus Britten-Norman Mandatory Service Bulletin BN-2/SB.231 Issue 2, which in turn references the UK Civil Aviation Authority AD 008-10-96. Compliance with this directive necessitates ensuring that the bolts attaching the lower fitting of the main landing gear to the nacelle do not become thread-bound, and the specified action must be completed within 50 landings after 21 May 1998. This requirement is crucial to prevent any play at the main landing gear bottom fitting, which can lead to cracks in the nacelle box structure due to variations in skin thickness. The directive was initially effective from 24 April 1997, with Amendment 1 taking effect on 21 May 1998.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, includes an amendment regarding the airworthiness directives for the Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2 Series Aeroplanes, which is pertinent to the BN-2, BN-2A, and BN-2B Series as well as the BN-2T Islanders. The directive in question is AD/BN-2/61 Amendment 1, which focuses on the main landing gear attachment bolts (section 1). This directive requires that action be taken in accordance with the Pilatus Britten-Norman Mandatory Service Bulletin BN-2/SB.231 Issue 2, which addresses the issue of thread binding on the bolts that attach the lower fitting of the main landing gear to the nacelle (section 2). It is important to note that this directive references the UK Civil Aviation Authority AD 008-10-96 (section 3). Compliance with this directive is mandatory unless the action has already been completed, and it must be done within 50 landings following the effective date of 21 May 1998 (section 4).
Under these regulations, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority imposes specific obligations on the operators and owners of the affected aircraft. They are required to ensure that the mandated service bulletin is followed, specifically concerning the attachment bolts of the main landing gear. This involves the inspection and, if necessary, the replacement or adjustment of the bolts to prevent them from becoming thread bound, which could lead to structural issues such as cracks in the nacelle box (section 5). The directive is clear that the action must be carried out within a specified timeframe, ensuring that the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft are maintained.
The consequences for non-compliance with the AD/BN-2/61 Amendment 1 are significant. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance with airworthiness directives in this context. However, failure to comply with such directives can lead to serious safety risks, and the aircraft may be deemed unairworthy. This can result in enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which could include grounding the aircraft, imposing fines, or other regulatory sanctions (section 6). The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the non-compliance and the resulting risk to aviation safety.