COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Skyfox Aviation (Calair/Hedaro) CA21 and CA22A Series Aeroplanes
AD/CA21/4 Tail Wheel Springs 1/96
Applicability: CA21 and CA22A aircraft.
Requirement: Inspect the tail wheel springs for deformation in accordance with Skyfox Aviation Service Bulletin No.8.
Compliance: Before the first flight of each day after 4 January 1996.
This Directive must be entered onto the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. The inspection may be performed by the pilot in command, in which case a certification is to be made by entering AD/CA21/4 against the Daily Inspection certification on the Maintenance Release. A copy of this Directive and of the Requirement Document must be carried in the aircraft.
Background: Several instances have been reported of fractured tail wheel springs. This AD requires the tail wheel springs to be inspected on a daily basis by the pilot, with replacement of the springs if deformation is discovered.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, aim to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within Australia. Specifically, Part 39 of these regulations includes Airworthiness Directives that mandate the maintenance and inspection of aircraft to prevent accidents and incidents. One such directive, AD/CA21/4, pertains to the Skyfox Aviation CA21 and CA22A series aeroplanes and mandates the inspection of tail wheel springs to address the problem of reported fractures. The objective of this directive is to enhance the safety of these aircraft by requiring regular inspections to detect and rectify any deformation of the tail wheel springs, thereby preventing potential in-flight failures. The directive must be documented on the Maintenance Release, and compliance must be certified by the pilot in command, with relevant documentation carried onboard.
Enacted by the Australian Parliament, these regulations are overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ensure that all civil aviation activities comply with the required safety standards. AD/CA21/4 is a specific measure aimed at mitigating the risk of tail wheel spring failures, which have been identified as a safety concern. This directive not only ensures that the aircraft are airworthy but also promotes a proactive approach to maintenance by involving the pilot in the daily inspection process.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105, mandates specific airworthiness directives for particular aircraft models, including the Skyfox Aviation (Calair/Hedaro) CA21 and CA22A series aeroplanes. Specifically, Airworthiness Directive AD/CA21/4 pertains to the inspection of tail wheel springs for deformation, as outlined in Skyfox Aviation Service Bulletin No.8, to address reported instances of fractured tail wheel springs. This directive applies to all CA21 and CA22A aircraft and requires compliance through daily inspections before the first flight of each day following 4 January 1996. Compliance necessitates that the inspection be documented on the Maintenance Release, with the option for the pilot in command to perform the inspection and certify it accordingly. Additionally, a copy of this directive and the associated requirement document must be carried on board the aircraft at all times. This directive underscores CASA's commitment to ensuring the safety of civil aviation by mandating regular and thorough inspections of critical aircraft components.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) Airworthiness Directive AD/CA21/4 applies to all CA21 and CA22A series aeroplanes (section 1). The primary requirement of this directive is that the tail wheel springs of these aircraft must be inspected daily for any signs of deformation (section 2). This inspection must be conducted in accordance with Skyfox Aviation Service Bulletin No. 8 and must be completed before the first flight of each day following 4 January 1996 (section 3). The results of this inspection must be documented on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required (section 4). The inspection can be performed by the pilot in command, who is then required to certify this inspection on the Maintenance Release by noting AD/CA21/4 against the Daily Inspection certification (section 5). Additionally, both the Airworthiness Directive and the Requirement Document must be carried in the aircraft at all times (section 6).
The directive imposes several obligations on the operators of CA21 and CA22A series aeroplanes. These obligations include ensuring that the tail wheel springs are inspected daily for deformation before the aircraft is flown, documenting this inspection on the Maintenance Release, and carrying a copy of the Airworthiness Directive and the Requirement Document on board (section 4). If the pilot in command performs the inspection, they must certify it on the Maintenance Release (section 5). Non-compliance with these requirements can result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, potentially leading to enforcement actions by CASA.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in AD/CA21/4 can lead to various consequences. The most immediate consequence is that the aircraft may be deemed unairworthy, which can result in grounding of the aircraft until compliance is achieved (section 7). CASA has the authority to take enforcement actions against non-compliant operators, which can include fines, suspension of operating certificates, or other regulatory measures. The specific penalties and consequences for non-compliance are determined by CASA and can vary based on the severity and frequency of the non-compliance. In serious cases, repeated or willful non-compliance could result in more severe penalties, including substantial fines and potential criminal charges against responsible individuals or entities.