COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
General Electric Turbine Engines - CF6 Series
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.
AD/CF6/40 Fan Mid Shaft 7/2000
Applicability: General Electric CF6-80C2 series turbofan engines incorporating fan mid shafts, Part No. 9326M74P04 or 9326M74P05.
Requirement: Remove affected fan mid shafts from service.
Note 1: FAA AD 2000-03-04 also refers.
Note 2: General Electric SB’s CF6-80C2 SB 72-750 and CF6-80C2 SB 72-958 also refer.
Compliance: For mid shafts that have accumulated 9,000 or more cycles since new (CSN) as of the effective date of this Directive remove from service within 3,500 cycles in service (CIS) or prior to accumulating 15,000 CSN, whichever occurs first.
For mid shafts that have accumulated 1,800 CSN or more, but less than 9,000 CSN as of the effective date of this Directive, remove from service within 5,000 CIS or prior to accumulating 12,500 CSN, whichever occurs first.
For mid shafts that have accumulated less than 1,800 CSN as of the effective date of this Directive remove from service prior to accumulating 6,800 CSN.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 13 July 2000.
Background: The FAA advises that recent component test data requires removal of certain fan mid shafts from service at a revised lower cycle life limit.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 2 June 2000
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 June 2000.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted to provide for the safety of civil aviation and the efficient and economic use of airspace in Australia. The problem this legislation addresses is ensuring that civil aircraft and aeronautical products meet the required safety standards, which is crucial for protecting public safety and maintaining the integrity of the aviation system. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted by the Parliament of Australia and are administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This legislative instrument, specifically Part 39 - 106, focuses on issuing airworthiness directives to address identified safety issues. The policy objective behind these directives is to ensure that any unsafe conditions with aircraft or aeronautical products are rectified promptly, thereby maintaining high safety standards in civil aviation.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998), specifically Part 39, addresses the safety standards for aeronautical products, including aircraft engines. Under this legislative framework, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issues Airworthiness Directives (AD) to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. The AD/CF6/40 pertains to General Electric CF6-80C2 series turbofan engines, particularly those with fan mid shafts part numbers 9326M74P04 or 9326M74P05. This directive mandates the removal of these specific components from service due to safety concerns identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The requirement to remove these fan mid shafts from service is contingent upon the number of cycles they have accumulated since new (CSN), with different timeframes set for removal based on their cycle count as of the directive’s effective date, which is 13 July 2000. The directive applies to all aircraft operating in Australia that use the specified engines and fan mid shafts. Compliance with this AD is mandatory, and failure to adhere to the specified removal timelines could result in the aircraft being deemed unsafe for operation. The AD extends its reach across the entire Commonwealth, ensuring a uniform approach to aviation safety standards throughout Australia.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 106, mandates that certain General Electric CF6-80C2 series turbofan engines, which include fan mid shafts with part numbers 9326M74P04 or 9326M74P05, must comply with an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) (section 39.1(1)). This AD, designated as AD/CF6/40, requires the removal of affected fan mid shafts from service due to safety concerns identified through recent component testing (section 39.1(1)). The directive applies to engines that have accumulated a specific number of cycles since new (CSN) and mandates removal from service within a specified number of cycles in service (CIS) or before reaching a certain total number of cycles, whichever occurs first (section 39.1(1)). The AD references similar directives issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and service bulletins from General Electric (section 39.1(1)).
The AD imposes specific obligations on the operators and maintainers of the affected aircraft. They must ensure that the fan mid shafts are removed from service according to the detailed instructions provided in the AD. This includes determining the number of cycles the mid shaft has accumulated since new and calculating the remaining allowable cycles in service or total cycles before reaching the specified limits (section 39.1(1)). Operators must adhere to the compliance timelines, which are based on the cycle count of the mid shaft at the effective date of the AD (section 39.1(1)). Failure to comply with the AD can result in the aircraft being considered unairworthy, leading to potential grounding and legal consequences.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in the AD can result in severe consequences. The AD explicitly states that non-compliance can lead to the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, which may prevent the aircraft from operating. Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to take enforcement actions against non-compliance, which can include fines, suspension of airworthiness certificates, and other regulatory penalties. The exact penalties are determined by CASA based on the severity and circumstances of the non-compliance (section 39.1(1)). Additionally, the AD references related directives and service bulletins, indicating that the FAA and General Electric may also impose their own penalties and consequences for non-compliance with their respective requirements.