COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Eurocopter SA 360 and SA 365 (Dauphin) Series Helicopters
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DAUPHIN/50 and issues the following 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/DAUPHIN/50
Amdt 1
Enlarged Sliding Doors - Window 9/2000
Applicability: Models AS 365 N, N1, N2, N3 Series with enlarged sliding doors. Requirement: Action in accordance with Eurocopter AS365N SB No. 01.00.49.
Note: DGAC 1999-459-049(A)R1 refers.
Compliance: Within 10 hours time in service after the initial effective date of this Directive.
This Amendment becomes effective on 7 September 2000.
Background: This Directive is issued to preclude loss of any incorrectly installed window which may collide with the main rotor blades.
Amendment 1 is to reference the final DGAC AD reference, no further work is required.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 30 December 1999.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 27 July 2000
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 9 August 2000.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) were enacted to regulate the safety and operation of civil aviation in Australia, ensuring compliance with international standards. One aspect of these regulations is the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address specific safety concerns. The legislative instrument F2006B08762, specifically the AD/DAUPHIN/50 Amendment 1, was introduced to address an identified unsafe condition in the Eurocopter SA 360 and SA 365 (Dauphin) Series Helicopters, particularly those with enlarged sliding doors. The problem at hand involved the risk of incorrectly installed windows colliding with the main rotor blades, which posed a significant safety hazard. The policy objective of this directive was to mandate corrective actions, as specified by Eurocopter’s Service Bulletin, to ensure the safe operation of the affected aircraft within a defined timeframe.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, which includes the Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), applies to all aircraft and aeronautical products operating within Australian airspace. This particular directive pertains to the Eurocopter SA 360 and SA 365 (Dauphin) series helicopters, more precisely, models AS 365 N, N1, N2, and N3 that have been fitted with enlarged sliding doors. The directive mandates corrective action to address an identified safety concern, which is the potential loss of a window that could collide with the main rotor blades, a situation that could compromise flight safety. This directive applies to operators of the specified helicopter models within Australia and mandates compliance within 10 hours of the directive's effective date. The directive was initially effective from 30 December 1999 and was subsequently amended to update the reference to the final DGAC Airworthiness Directive on 7 September 2000. The directive does not specify exclusions or exemptions but is binding on all entities operating the affected aircraft within Australian jurisdiction.
Key Provisions
The main sections of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DAUPHIN/50 Amdt 1 are the applicability, requirement, and compliance sections. The applicability section (section 1) specifies that this AD applies to Eurocopter SA 360 and SA 365 (Dauphin) Series helicopters, specifically the models AS 365 N, N1, N2, N3 with enlarged sliding doors. The requirement section (section 2) mandates that the action to be taken must comply with Eurocopter AS365N SB No. 01.00.49. The compliance section (section 3) stipulates that the action must be completed within 10 hours of time in service after the initial effective date of this Directive, which is 30 December 1999, with the amendment becoming effective on 7 September 2000.
The AD imposes obligations on helicopter operators and maintenance personnel to ensure that the specified actions are taken in accordance with the requirements outlined in the directive. This includes ensuring that any incorrectly installed window which may collide with the main rotor blades is corrected. The directive references Eurocopter AS365N SB No. 01.00.49 as the instruction for the required action, and compliance must be achieved within the stipulated timeframe.
There are no specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences mentioned in the AD itself. However, failure to comply with airworthiness directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) can lead to significant legal and safety repercussions. Non-compliance may result in the grounding of the aircraft until the required actions are completed, which could have severe operational impacts. Additionally, CASA has the authority to take enforcement action against non-compliance, which could include fines, legal proceedings, or other regulatory sanctions. The exact penalties would depend on the specific circumstances and the extent of the non-compliance.