Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety and airworthiness of civil aircraft in Australia. This legislation was introduced to address the need for comprehensive regulations governing the operation and maintenance of aircraft, ensuring that all civil aviation activities are conducted safely and in compliance with national and international standards. The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations are administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which acts as a delegate of the Australian Government in enforcing aviation safety standards. The policy objective of these regulations is to mitigate risks associated with civil aviation, ensuring the safety of passengers, crew, and the public by imposing strict requirements on aircraft manufacturers, operators, and maintenance personnel. The specific Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/CESSNA 400/57 Amdt 2, issued under the authority of the CASR 1998, addresses a previously erroneous amendment concerning the inspection of elevator trim tab actuator mounting brackets for Cessna model 404 aircraft. This directive mandates a once-off inspection for all Cessna 404 aircraft within the specified serial numbers, as outlined in the requirement section, and must be completed within 100 hours of time in service after the original directive's effective date of 30 September 1978. This amendment rectifies the previous error, ensuring that the inspection requirements and compliance timelines return to the original AD issued in 1978.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to all Cessna model 404 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 404-0001 to 404-0209. This regulation, as amended, mandates a once-off inspection of the elevator trim tab actuator mounting bracket in accordance with Cessna Service Letter ME78-22. This requirement must be carried out within 100 hours of time in service after 30 September 1978. The directive is issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and has a national jurisdictional reach, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds specified in this particular Airworthiness Directive. The application and enforcement of such directives can be extended or further detailed through subordinate instruments issued by CASA.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/CESSNA 400/57 Amdt 2 pertains to all Cessna model 404 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 404-0001 to 404-0209 (section 1). The directive requires a one-off inspection of the elevator trim tab actuator mounting bracket as per Cessna Service Letter (SL) No. ME78-22 (section 2). This inspection must be carried out within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service after 30 September 1978 (section 3). The amendment to this directive was issued to correct an error in the previous amendment and to revert to the original requirements which were effective from 30 September 1978. The amendment became effective on 11 February 2004. The obligations imposed by this AD are primarily on the aircraft operators and maintenance personnel responsible for ensuring the airworthiness of the affected Cessna 404 aircraft. They must adhere to the specified inspection procedure outlined in Cessna SL No. ME78-22 and complete the inspection within the stipulated timeframe. Failure to comply with the AD could potentially compromise the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft, leading to increased risks during flight operations. Breach of the requirements set out in this AD could result in serious safety implications. Although specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not detailed in the text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions may include fines, suspension or revocation of aircraft certificates of airworthiness, and potential criminal charges if the breach leads to an accident or incident. The exact penalties would be determined based on the severity and impact of the non-compliance, in accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and other relevant aviation regulations.