COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
CAP Aviation (Akrotech and Mudry) CAP 232 Series Aeroplanes
AD/CAP 232/1 Starter Relay 6/2001 DM
Applicability: All CAP 232 aeroplanes with Cessna starter relay Part Number (P/N) S-1991A1 installed.
Note 1: Starter relay P/N S-1991A1 is known to be installed on aeroplanes delivered after 5 December 1997. However, the starter relay may also have been installed during maintenance after that date. Starter relay P/N S-1991A1 can be readily identified by only having three terminals whilst the replacement relay P/N 22735 has four terminals.
Requirement: Replace starter relay P/N S-1991A1 with starter relay P/N 22735 in accordance with CAP Aviation Service Bulletin 000202 dated 9 November 2000.
Note 2: DGAC AD 2001-038(A) refers.
Compliance: Within 50 hours time in service after the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 2 May 2001.
Background: CAP Aviation has reported instances where the starter relay has remained engaged when the started button is released and where the starter relay has randomly engaged during aerobatic manoeuvres.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 23 April 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 2 May 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) was enacted to regulate the safety of civil aviation within Australia and address potential safety issues that could compromise airworthiness. This legislation provides the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) with the authority to issue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) aimed at mitigating safety risks in specific aircraft models or components. One such AD, AD/CAP 232/1, issued under the authority of CASA, addresses a specific issue with the starter relay on CAP Aviation (Akrotech and Mudry) CAP 232 Series Aeroplanes. The directive was enacted to rectify unsafe conditions identified with the Cessna starter relay Part Number (P/N) S-1991A1, which has been known to remain engaged after the starter button is released or to engage randomly during aerobatic manoeuvres. The policy objective of this AD is to ensure that the identified unsafe condition is corrected by replacing the problematic starter relay with a safer alternative, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the affected aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to all CAP 232 aeroplanes equipped with a Cessna starter relay part number S-1991A1. This directive mandates the replacement of the identified starter relay with a new one, part number 22735, within 50 hours of the directive's effective date, 2 May 2001. The directive targets an unsafe condition identified with the older starter relay, which has been known to remain engaged after the starter button is released or to engage randomly during aerobatic manoeuvres. The directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and is enforceable throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, extending to all relevant aircraft operators within its jurisdiction. The directive does not specify any exclusions or exemptions, thus applying universally to all CAP 232 aeroplanes identified with the affected starter relay within the specified timeframe.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, specify certain Airworthiness Directives (ADs) designed to maintain the safety of aircraft. For instance, AD/CAP 232/1 (paragraph 1) pertains to all CAP 232 aeroplanes equipped with the specific Cessna starter relay part number S-1991A1. This AD mandates that such starter relays be replaced with the P/N 22735 relay, following the instructions outlined in CAP Aviation Service Bulletin 000202 dated 9 November 2000 (paragraph 2). The directive comes into effect on 2 May 2001 and requires compliance within 50 hours of time in service after this date (paragraph 3).
The obligations imposed by this AD are clear and specific. Operators of CAP 232 aeroplanes must ensure that the identified starter relay is replaced within the stipulated timeframe (paragraph 3). This involves procuring the correct replacement relay, P/N 22735, and following the procedural guidelines provided in the referenced service bulletin. It is essential that these changes are implemented to address the identified safety concerns, particularly the instances where the starter relay has either remained engaged after the starter button is released or engaged randomly during aerobatic manoeuvres (paragraph 4).
Failure to comply with the provisions of this AD may result in significant legal consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) enforces these regulations strictly, and non-compliance can lead to severe penalties. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in this particular AD, under the broader regulatory framework, penalties for non-compliance can include substantial fines, suspension or revocation of air operator certificates, and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance results in safety incidents (paragraph 5). It is imperative for operators to adhere to the AD to avoid these repercussions and ensure the continued airworthiness of their aircraft.