AD/CESSNA 550/13 - Bleed Air Check Valve

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia and administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, address the need to ensure the safety of civil aviation operations within Australia. This legislation, specifically within Part 39, provides detailed safety directives for various aircraft models, including the Cessna 550 (Citation II) series aeroplanes, as highlighted in Airworthiness Directive AD/CESSNA 550/13. This directive was introduced to address the problem of bleed air check valve malfunctions in certain Cessna 550 and S550 series aeroplanes, which posed potential safety risks. The policy objective behind this regulation is to mandate inspections and modifications of these bleed air check valves in accordance with specified service bulletins, ensuring that any affected aircraft are brought into compliance to maintain the highest safety standards in the aviation industry. The legislative instrument F2006B08418 under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, issued by the Commonwealth of Australia, aims to mitigate risks associated with the identified safety issue. It requires that all affected aircraft, specifically those with unit numbers within the specified ranges, undergo an inspection and necessary modifications at the next scheduled maintenance period or phase inspection after the directive’s publication date of 30 September 1986. This directive ensures that the identified safety concerns are systematically addressed, thereby enhancing the overall safety of civil aviation operations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, governs the applicability of Airworthiness Directives, including the AD/CESSNA 550/13 concerning bleed air check valves on the Cessna 550 (Citation II) Series Aeroplanes. This directive applies to all Cessna 550 aircraft with unit numbers ranging from -0002 to -0505, and all model S550 aircraft with unit numbers from -0001 to -0034. The regulation mandates that these aircraft must undergo an inspection and modification of the bleed air check valves in accordance with the Cessna Service Bulletins S.B. 550-36-2 and S.B. S550-36-1 to address known malfunctions. Compliance with this directive must be achieved at the next scheduled maintenance period or phase inspection following 30 September 1986. This regulatory framework ensures the safety and airworthiness of the specified aircraft by requiring the implementation of corrective measures based on identified technical issues.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, outlines the requirements for ensuring the airworthiness of certain aircraft, with a focus on the Cessna 550 (Citation II) Series aeroplanes in this case. The regulation mandates inspections and modifications to the bleed air check valves as per the Cessna Service Bulletins S.B. 550-36-2 and S.B. S550-36-1 (Section 1). This requirement applies to all model 550 aeroplanes with unit numbers ranging from -0002 to -0505 and all model S550 aeroplanes with unit numbers from -0001 to -0034 (Section 2). The inspection and modification must be completed during the next scheduled maintenance period or phase inspection following 30 September 1986 (Section 3). These provisions impose a clear obligation on the operators of the affected aircraft to ensure that the specified inspections and modifications are carried out by qualified personnel in accordance with the referenced service bulletins. This includes verifying that the bleed air check valves are either functioning correctly or have been replaced with the modified valves as necessary (Section 4). Operators must keep detailed records of all inspections and modifications performed, including the dates and the signatures of the personnel who carried them out (Section 5). Failure to comply with these airworthiness directives can result in severe consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may take enforcement action against non-compliant aircraft, potentially leading to grounding of the aeroplane until the necessary modifications are completed (Section 6). Additionally, operators who fail to adhere to these requirements may face civil penalties, including fines, and criminal charges if the non-compliance results in safety incidents or accidents (Section 7). The maximum penalties for such offences can include substantial fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment for directors or responsible officers of the company (Section 8).