Overview

The Airworthiness Directive AD/BR700/2 issued in 2003 by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) addresses the safety issue of potential failures in the oil filter differential pressure switches of Rolls Royce BR700 series engines, particularly those installed on Bombardier BD-700-1A10 and Gulfstream V aeroplanes. The directive was enacted to mitigate the risk of in-flight engine shutdowns due to the failure of these switches. The policy objective behind this directive is to ensure that the specified engines are equipped with reliable components, thus enhancing the overall safety of aviation operations. This AD mandates that specific actions, such as inspecting and potentially replacing the oil filter differential pressure switches, be undertaken within stipulated timeframes to maintain airworthiness standards.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 pertains specifically to Rolls Royce BR700-710A1-10 and BR700-710A2-20 series engines equipped with an oil filter differential pressure switch bearing the part numbers 21SN04-419 or -431. The directive applies to engines with serial numbers up to and including 11336 for the BR700-710A1-10 series and up to and including 12259 for the BR700-710A2-20 series. Notably, these engines are installed on Bombardier BD-700-1A10 and Gulfstream V aeroplanes, although they are not limited to these aircraft models. The AD mandates that inspections and, if necessary, replacement of the oil filter differential pressure switch be conducted within specified flight hour limits from the effective date of the directive, which is 15 May 2003. The directive was issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and was notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 23 April 2003.

Key Provisions

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) applies specifically to Rolls Royce BR700-710A1-10 and BR700-710A2-20 series engines that have oil filter differential pressure switches with part numbers 21SN04-419 or -431, installed on certain aircraft such as Bombardier BD-700-1A10 and Gulfstream V. The directive requires two main actions: inspecting the oil filter differential pressure switch to determine its serial number and, based on that inspection, either marking the switch if it is listed in Appendix 1 of Rolls-Royce Service Bulletin (S/B) BR700-79-900215 Revision 2, or replacing the switch if it is not listed in the appendix. The directive mandates these actions to be carried out in specific timeframes depending on the time since new (TSN) of the oil filter differential switch. The AD imposes specific obligations on the parties it governs. Owners and operators of the affected aircraft must ensure that the inspections and any subsequent actions, such as marking or replacement of the oil filter differential switch, are completed in accordance with the instructions provided in Rolls-Royce Service Bulletin BR700-79-900215 Revision 2. For switches with less than 200 flight hours TSN, these actions must be completed within 50 flight hours from the effective date of the AD. For switches with more than 200 flight hours TSN, the compliance period extends to 150 flight hours from the effective date. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can result in civil and potentially criminal consequences. The directive does not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance, but under CASR 1998, non-compliance with an AD can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions could include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, or other regulatory sanctions. Additionally, in cases where non-compliance results in an unsafe condition that leads to an accident or incident, the responsible parties could face criminal charges under Australian aviation law.