Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) is a fundamental piece of Australian legislation enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia. This regulation, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), aims to address potential safety hazards and ensure compliance with international safety standards. One specific Airworthiness Directive issued under this Act is AD/CESSNA 177/31, issued in 2000 to address an unsafe condition identified in certain Cessna 177 series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to rectify an issue with the fuel selector valves that could lead to an inadequate fuel supply to the engine, potentially resulting in an emergency landing or loss of control. The policy objective behind such directives is to maintain the highest standards of safety in civil aviation by mandating specific actions to mitigate identified risks.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to the Cessna 177 series aeroplanes identified by serial numbers and equipped with specific parts manufactured and shipped by Cessna between 6 December 1998 and 10 May 1999. The directive mandates that certain fuel selector valve cams and fuel selector valves be replaced to correct an unsafe condition that could potentially lead to an inadequate fuel supply to the engine, resulting in emergency landings or loss of control. The AD requires that the specified parts be replaced in accordance with Cessna Service Bulletin SEB99-7 dated June 7, 1999, and stipulates that these parts must not be installed as replacements after the effective date of the AD. The compliance period is within the next 10 hours of flight time after the directive becomes effective on 27 January 2000.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive AD/CESSNA 177/31, issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998), applies specifically to the Model 177 series aeroplanes listed by serial numbers and those equipped with certain fuel selector valves shipped by Cessna between 6 December 1998 and 10 May 1999. These serial numbers include the ranges 177661, 17700001 through 17701164, 17701165 through 17701370, and 17700002, 17701371 through 17702752. The affected parts are the Fuel Selector Valve Cam part number 0513123, and the Fuel Selector Valve part numbers 0513120-5, 0513120-6, 0513120-8, 0513120-9, or 0513120-200. The directive requires these parts to be replaced according to the instructions detailed in Cessna Service Bulletin SEB99-7 dated June 7, 1999. Furthermore, these specific parts must not be reinstalled as replacements on any aeroplanes subject to this AD after the effective date of the directive. The Airworthiness Directive imposes specific obligations on the Certificate of Registration Holders, including the requirement to review maintenance records to determine the applicability of the directive to their aircraft. The directive mandates that any identified affected parts must be replaced within the next 10 hours of time in service following the effective date of the AD, which is 27 January 2000. Additionally, the directive prohibits the reinstallation of the specified parts on any applicable aeroplane after the AD's effective date. Non-compliance with these requirements could lead to serious safety issues, including inadequate fuel supply to the engine, potentially resulting in emergency landings or loss of control. The breach of the requirements set forth in the Airworthiness Directive AD/CESSNA 177/31 may result in severe consequences. Operating an aeroplane with non-compliant fuel selector valves could lead to inadequate fuel supply to the engine, which is a significant safety hazard. Such a violation could result in emergency landings or loss of control, posing substantial risks to flight safety. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the directive, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally may attract enforcement actions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, including fines and potential grounding of the affected aircraft until compliance is achieved.