Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, addresses issues concerning the airworthiness of aircraft through detailed regulatory requirements. This Act was enacted to ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability in civil aviation, bridging any gaps that might otherwise lead to unsafe conditions in aircraft operations. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issues Airworthiness Directives under this Act to mandate necessary actions to correct identified safety issues, ensuring the ongoing safety of aircraft within Australia's airspace. The policy objective behind these directives is to prevent unsafe conditions through timely and specific regulatory interventions, maintaining the integrity and safety of civil aviation operations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, includes an Airworthiness Directive issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998, focusing on the Pacific Aerospace Corporation Cresco Series Aeroplanes. This directive applies to Cresco 08-600 series aircraft equipped with specific nose landing gear cylinder assemblies manufactured between March 1997 and March 2000. The directive mandates corrective actions to address an unsafe condition identified with the nose landing gear cylinder assemblies, particularly those part numbers 08-40035-5 and 08-40051-2. The directive requires compliance with the instructions outlined in the Pacific Aerospace Corporation Service Bulletin PACSB/CR/022, with the action to be completed within 100 hours of time in service following the directive's effective date of 7 September 2000. This directive extends to the geographic jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia and aligns with corresponding measures from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) outlined in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within PART 39 - 105, mandates certain actions to ensure the safety of Cresco Series aeroplanes manufactured by Pacific Aerospace Corporation. According to section 39.1 (1), the AD is issued by a CASA delegate, in this instance, David Alan Villiers, to address specific safety concerns. The directive applies to Cresco 08-600 series aircraft equipped with specific nose landing gear cylinder assemblies, as mentioned in the applicability section (AD/CRESCO/1). The AD targets aircraft serial numbers 017 through 026 and spare cylinder assemblies with part numbers 08-40035-5 and 08-40051-2, manufactured between March 1997 and March 2000. The AD imposes obligations on aircraft operators and maintenance personnel to adhere to the actions specified in the requirement section, which in this case, involves following Pacific Aerospace Corporation Service Bulletin PACSB/CR/022. This requirement is intended to prevent a propeller ground strike in the event of full compression of the nose landing gear and a deflated or severely flattened tyre. The AD also references a New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority AD for consistency in safety measures across jurisdictions. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive may result in serious safety implications. The compliance section specifies that the required actions must be taken within 100 hours of time in service after 7 September 2000. The directive became effective on 7 September 2000, and non-compliance could lead to civil or criminal consequences. Although the exact penalties are not specified in the AD, the potential ramifications of ignoring such a directive could include severe financial penalties, grounding of the affected aircraft, or even criminal charges for those responsible for ensuring compliance. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority may take enforcement actions to ensure that the safety requirements are met, thereby protecting the public and maintaining the integrity of the aviation safety framework.