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 CASR 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.
General Electric Turbine Engines - CF6 Series
AD/CF6/52 Thrust Reverser - Inspection 8/2003
Applicability: General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80E1 series turbofan engines installed on, but not limited to, Airbus Industrie A330 series aeroplanes.
Requirement: 1. For engines that do not have improved double P-seal configuration introduced by Middle River Aircraft Systems (MRAS) service bulletin (SB) 78-5037, original issue or Revision 1, inspect and check each fan thrust reverser half in accordance with 2.B., 2.C., and 2.D. of the Accomplishment Instructions of MRAS alert service bulletin (ASB) 78A5043, Revision 1, dated 22 January 2002.
2. Repeat Requirement 1 inspection and check.
3. For engines that do have improved double P-seal configuration introduced by MRAS SB 78-5037, original issue or Revision 1:
- inspect and check each fan thrust reverser half in accordance with 2.B., and
2.C. of the Accomplishment Instructions of MRAS ASB 78A5043, Revision 1, dated 22 January 2002.
b. check each fan thrust reverser half in accordance with 2.D. of the Accomplishment Instructions of MRAS ASB 78A5043, Revisio n 1, dated 22 January 2002.
4. Repeat Requirement 3(a) inspection and check.
5. Repeat Requirement 3(b) inspection and check.
Note: FAA AD 2002-10-08 Amdt 39-12754 refers.
Compliance: For Requirement 1: Before exceeding 7,000 flight hours time-since-new (TSN) or 1,000 flight hours time- in-service (TIS) whichever occurs later after the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 2: At intervals not to exceed 7,000 flight hours TIS since last inspection or check.
For Requirement 3(a): Before exceeding 25,000 flight hours TSN or 1,000 flight hours TIS whichever occurs later after the effective date of this Directive.
General Electric Turbine Engines - CF6 Series
AD/CF6/52 (continued)
For Requirement 3(b): Before exceeding 7,000 flight hours TSN or 1,000 flight hours TIS whichever occurs later after the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 4: At intervals not to exceed 25,000 flight hours TIS since last inspection or check.
For Requirement 5: At intervals not to exceed 7,000 flight hours TIS since last check. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 7 August 2003.
Background: This AD has been prompted by reports of service induced hardware deterioration that reduces the overall thrust reverser system protection against inadvertent deployment. The AD provides for the required initial and repetitive thrust reverser inspection and check thresholds to be extended if an optional double P-seal configuration is installed. The requirements specified in this AD are intended to prevent inadvertent in- flight thrust reverser deployment.
Jim Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 27 June 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 16 July 2003.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued the Airworthiness Directive AD/CF6/52 in 2003 to address safety concerns related to the thrust reverser systems of General Electric CF6-80E1 series turbofan engines, particularly those installed on Airbus A330 series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced in response to reports of hardware deterioration that could potentially lead to inadvertent thrust reverser deployment during flight. The AD aims to mitigate such risks by mandating specific inspection and check protocols for the thrust reversers, which vary depending on whether the engines have been upgraded with an improved double P-seal configuration. The directive is intended to ensure that the thrust reverser system provides adequate protection against inadvertent deployment, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the aircraft in which these engines are installed.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive F2006B08490 issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 applies specifically to General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80E1 series turbofan engines installed on Airbus Industrie A330 series aeroplanes. The directive mandates inspections and checks of the fan thrust reversers of these engines to mitigate the risk of inadvertent in-flight deployment due to service-induced hardware deterioration. The requirements vary based on whether the engines have the improved double P-seal configuration introduced by Middle River Aircraft Systems (MRAS). For engines without this configuration, inspections and checks must be performed before exceeding 7,000 flight hours time-since-new (TSN) or 1,000 flight hours time-in-service (TIS) after the AD's effective date, and repeated at intervals not exceeding 7,000 flight hours TIS since the last inspection. For engines with the double P-seal configuration, inspections must be conducted before exceeding 25,000 flight hours TSN or 1,000 flight hours TIS after the AD's effective date, and repeated at intervals not exceeding 25,000 flight hours TIS since the last inspection. This AD applies nationally across Australia, as it is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate, Jim Coyne, on behalf of the Commonwealth. There are no exclusions or exemptions stated in this directive, and compliance is mandatory for the specified aircraft and engine types.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) mandates specific actions to correct unsafe conditions in certain aircraft engines (sections 1 and 2). It applies to General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80E1 series turbofan engines, which are typically installed in Airbus Industrie A330 series aeroplanes (section 3). The directive outlines specific inspection and check procedures to be followed based on whether the engine has an improved double P-seal configuration introduced by Middle River Aircraft Systems (MRAS) service bulletin 78-5037 (section 4).
The AD sets forth several obligations for the parties involved. For engines without the improved double P-seal configuration, inspections and checks must be performed in accordance with specified instructions from MRAS alert service bulletin 78A5043, Revision 1 (section 4.1). For engines with the improved configuration, inspections and checks are required following different procedures outlined in the same bulletin (section 4.3). The AD specifies the timing for these inspections and checks based on the engine's time-since-new (TSN) and time-in-service (TIS) (section 5). Compliance with these requirements is necessary to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft.
Breach of the requirements set out in the AD can lead to serious consequences. While specific offences, penalties, or consequences are not detailed in the AD itself, non-compliance with airworthiness directives in general can result in severe civil and criminal penalties under CASR 1998. These may include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and potential criminal charges for individuals responsible for non-compliance. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the AD's provisions to ensure the safety of aircraft operations.