COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
CFM International Turbine Engines - CFM56 Series
AD/CFM56/3
Amdt 1
Number Three Bearing 3/90 DM
Applicability: CFM56-3, -3B, -3C, -5 series engines.
Requirement: 1. Inspect the forward sump magnetic plug chip detector, for evidence of contamination, and
2. If contamination is evident on the forward sump magnetic plug chip detector, determine magnitude, source of contamination, and action in accordance with;
(a) Boeing CFM 737-300/400 Maintenance Manual D6-37588-388 Chapter 79- 00-00, Para 5, or
(b) Airbus A320 Aircraft Maintenance Manual Rev. 8 Chapter 79-21-10, or
(c) As agreed by the Authority.
Compliance:
- Effective 7 February 1990, inspect at intervals not to exceed;
(a) CFM56-3, 3B, 3C series engines equipped with Number 3B bearings, part number 9732M1OP12 serial number series FAFDxxxx or FAFExxxx with less than 6000 hours bearing TSN; 50 hours time in service.
Note: P/N 9732M1OP12 bearings which have achieved 6000 hours TSN or greater are exempt from the inspection requirements of this Directive.
(b) CFM56-3, 3B, 3C series engines equipped with Number 3B bearings, part numbers 9732M1OP18 or 1362M76P02; 50 hours time in service.
(c) CFM56-3, 3B, 3C series engines equipped with Number 3B bearings, part numbers 9732M10P10; 9732M10P17; and 9732M10P12 serial number series other than FAFDxxxx or FAFExxxx, with less than 6000 hours bearing TSN; 75 hours time in service.
Note: P/N 9732M10P10, 9732M10P17 and 9732M10P12 bearings which have achieved 6000 hours TSN or greater are exempt from the inspection requirements of this Directive.
(d) CFM56-5 series engines equipped with Number 3B bearings, part number 9542M60P01; 50 hours time in service.
For the purpose of this Directive, a planning tolerance of 5 hours is permitted for inspection intervals listed in 1(a), 1(b), 1(c), 1(d) provided operator inspection schedules reflect the listed inspection intervals of this Directive.
2. Before further flight.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Background: This Directive has been amended to;
- Increase the applicability requirements of this Directive to include all CFM 56-3, 3B, 3C series engines regardless of bearing part number or bearing serial number.
2. Include the CFM56-5 series.
3. Delete the requirement to replace certain bearings by part number or serial number.
4. Reflect advice received from the manufacturer of in-service data which supports an alleviation of the inspection requirement for certain bearings by part number upon achieving 6000 hours time in service.
Overview
The Commonwealth of Australia enacted the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 to regulate civil aviation operations and ensure safety standards are maintained. Within this framework, Part 39 - 106 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, was introduced to address issues related to the airworthiness of aircraft and their components. One such directive pertains to CFM International Turbine Engines of the CFM56 Series, as outlined in AD/CFM56/3. This directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to address problems identified with the Number Three Bearing in these engines, aiming to ensure the continued safety of civil aviation by mandating inspections and actions based on detected contamination. The policy objective is to maintain and enhance the airworthiness of these engines through regular inspections and necessary actions to prevent potential failures or accidents.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 106 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for CFM International Turbine Engines - CFM56 Series, governs the maintenance and inspection requirements for certain engines used in commercial aviation within Australia. This regulation applies to all CFM56-3, 3B, 3C, and 5 series engines, ensuring they comply with stringent airworthiness standards to maintain operational safety. The directive mandates inspections of the forward sump magnetic plug chip detector for contamination and outlines procedures for determining the source and magnitude of contamination, as well as the necessary actions, which can be sourced from manufacturer manuals or agreed upon with the Authority. Compliance with these regulations requires inspections at specified intervals, depending on the engine series and bearing part numbers, with some bearings exempted from inspection if they have achieved 6000 hours of time in service. The directive also allows for a planning tolerance of 5 hours for inspection intervals, provided the operator's schedule adheres to the prescribed intervals.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 106, mandate the inspection of CFM International Turbine Engines, specifically the CFM56 Series, to ensure airworthiness. Section 1 of the legislation requires the inspection of the forward sump magnetic plug chip detector for evidence of contamination (1). If contamination is evident, the source and magnitude must be determined, and appropriate action taken according to either the Boeing CFM 737-300/400 Maintenance Manual, the Airbus A320 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, or as otherwise agreed by the Authority (1(a)-(c)). The compliance section details that inspections must occur at intervals not exceeding 50 or 75 hours of time in service, depending on the engine type and bearing part numbers, with certain bearings exempt once they reach 6000 hours of time in service (2). A tolerance of up to 5 hours is allowed for these inspection intervals, as long as the operator's schedule reflects the required intervals (2).
The obligations under this legislation require engine operators to conduct regular inspections as specified, ensuring that any detected contamination is thoroughly assessed and managed according to the stipulated guidelines. This includes maintaining detailed records of inspections, contamination findings, and any subsequent actions taken to rectify issues or exempt certain bearings from further inspections. The legislation also imposes a requirement for operators to ensure that their inspection schedules are compliant with the regulatory timeframes, allowing for a margin of error of up to 5 hours in either direction.
Breaches of these requirements can result in serious consequences. Operators failing to comply with the inspection intervals or to properly manage detected contamination could face penalties, which may include fines and potential grounding of non-compliant aircraft. While the exact penalties are not specified in the text, they could be significant given the safety-critical nature of aviation maintenance. Additionally, non-compliance could lead to civil or criminal liability for operators, with potential repercussions for their operating certificates and reputation within the industry.