Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, are a comprehensive set of regulations aimed at ensuring the safety of civil aviation operations within Australia. These regulations were introduced to address the need for consistent and rigorous safety standards across the aviation industry, ensuring the safety of passengers, crew, and the general public. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), as the regulator, issues Airworthiness Directives under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 to address specific safety concerns identified with particular aircraft or aeronautical products. The policy objective behind these regulations is to mandate actions that correct unsafe conditions, thereby preventing potential failures and accidents. This particular Airworthiness Directive concerning the General Electric CF6 Series Turbine Engines was issued to address the identified issue of low cycle fatigue in the forward engine mount platforms of certain engines, requiring periodic inspections to maintain airworthiness.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), specifically under PART 39 - 106, pertains to Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These regulations apply to all aircraft and aeronautical products within the Commonwealth of Australia, and their purpose is to ensure safety in the aviation industry. The Airworthiness Directive AD/CF6/53 pertains to the General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80E1A2 turbofan engines with specific forward engine mount platform part numbers, installed on various aircraft including, but not limited to, Airbus Industrie A330 aeroplanes. The directive mandates a fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) of the forward engine mount platform to prevent potential failure and loss of control, as per the CF6 component maintenance manual GEK 99410, section 71-21-02. The AD applies to engines that have not been previously inspected using an FPI before the effective date of the directive and requires the inspection to occur at the next exposure or before exceeding 6,360 cycles since new, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 4,000 cycles since the last inspection. For engines previously inspected using an FPI before the directive’s effective date, the inspection must occur within 4,000 cycles since the last inspection, and thereafter at the same intervals. The directive became effective on 25 December 2003 and was notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 3 December 2003.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically AD/CF6/53, pertains to General Electric (GE) CF6-80E1A2 turbofan engines with certain forward engine mount platform part numbers, such as 1520M53G04 and 1846M24G15. This directive mandates that these engines, which are installed on various aircraft including Airbus Industrie A330 aeroplanes, must undergo a fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) as outlined in GEK 99410, section 71-21-02 of the CF6 component maintenance manual. The inspection frequency is determined by the engine's history and operational cycles, with uninspected engines requiring an FPI before exceeding 6,360 cycles since new or within a specified period, and previously inspected engines requiring an FPI every 4,000 cycles since the last inspection. The directive became effective on 25 December 2003. The AD imposes specific obligations on the entities it governs, including operators and maintainers of GE CF6-80E1A2 engines. These obligations include conducting the required FPI in accordance with the specified maintenance manual and adhering to the outlined inspection intervals. The directive ensures that the inspections are performed to prevent potential failures of the engine mount platform, which could lead to loss of control of the aircraft. Furthermore, the AD references FAA AD 2003-20-07 Amdt 39-13325, indicating that it aligns with international standards and recommendations to enhance safety. Failure to comply with the AD's requirements may result in serious safety implications, as the directive is designed to mitigate the risk of engine mount failure. The potential consequences of non-compliance include the risk of engine mount failure during operation, which could lead to significant safety hazards. In terms of regulatory enforcement, while the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 do not explicitly outline specific penalties for non-compliance with ADs, breaches of related regulations or failure to maintain airworthiness can result in substantial fines and other penalties under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. Operators and maintainers must therefore ensure strict adherence to the AD to avoid any potential legal and safety repercussions.