AD/CERES/6 Amdt 2 - Airframe - Inspection, Modification and Retirement

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105 concerning the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, address the need for regular inspections and modifications of certain aircraft models to ensure ongoing airworthiness and safety. The enactment of this regulation by the Australian Government through the Parliament aims to mitigate the risk of structural failure by mandating periodic inspections and modifications of specific components, particularly the centre section spars, of Ceres Series Aeroplanes. The policy objective is to maintain the highest safety standards in civil aviation by enforcing rigorous maintenance protocols and timely modifications based on operational hours and structural assessments. The Airworthiness Directive AD/CERES/6 Amdt 2, effective from 9 September 1999, targets the inspection, modification, and retirement of the aircraft to prevent fatigue-related failures. This directive applies to all models of Ceres Series Aeroplanes, with specific requirements for those with more than 3000 hours of service time. It mandates inspections and modifications in accordance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority Service Bulletin No. 42, ensuring that particular care is taken during the application of paint stripper to avoid damaging the composite spar caps. The directive also stipulates retirement timelines to ensure that aircraft do not exceed a total of 14000 hours of operational time without meeting the necessary safety checks and modifications.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertain to the regulation and oversight of civil aviation safety in Australia. This particular legislative instrument, AD/CERES/6 Amdt 2, focuses on the Ceres Series Aeroplanes and sets forth mandatory inspections, modifications, and retirement criteria for specific models based on their time in service. It applies to all models of Ceres aeroplanes, but notably requires inspections and modifications for those with more than 3000 hours of time in service that have not been modified in accordance with C.A.C. Service Bulletin No. 42. Conversely, all models must comply with the retirement requirement upon reaching 14000 hours of total time in service. This regulation applies nationally across the Commonwealth of Australia, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The directive does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, but compliance is mandatory for all specified aircraft. The directive can be extended or modified through subordinate instruments as deemed necessary by CASA.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, contains an Airworthiness Directive for the C.A.C CA-28 (Ceres) Series Aeroplanes, specifically AD/CERES/6 Amendment 2, which mandates inspections, modifications, and the retirement of certain aircraft. The directive applies to all models of the Ceres series, with specific timelines for different requirements. For instance, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the requirement apply to models with more than 3000 hours of time in service and which have not been modified as per C.A.C Service Bulletin No. 42. Paragraph 1 requires the inspection of the centre section spars according to the bulletin, with careful attention to masking the edges of the composite spar cap before applying paint stripper. Paragraph 2 necessitates the modification of the centre section spars as per the same bulletin. Paragraph 3 applies to all models, requiring the retirement of the aircraft once it reaches 14,000 hours of total time in service. The obligations imposed by this Act on the parties or entities it governs are stringent and clear. Operators of Ceres series aeroplanes must ensure that inspections and modifications are performed according to the specifications provided in the C.A.C Service Bulletin No. 42. For Paragraph 1, inspections must be completed within 250 hours of time in service after 25 November 1969, or within 250 hours for aircraft with centre sections from production aircraft serial numbers 1 and 2, and within 500 hours for aircraft with centre sections from production aircraft serial numbers 3 and beyond. The aircraft must then be modified as per the bulletin within the same timeframe. For Paragraph 3, the aircraft must be retired from service on or before achieving 14,000 hours of total time in service. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive can result in severe consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 outline that non-compliance with the provisions of an Airworthiness Directive can lead to both civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties can include fines, while criminal penalties can include imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach. The exact penalties are not specified in the text but are governed by the broader civil aviation legislative framework, which includes potential fines and imprisonment terms that can vary based on the nature and extent of the violation.