COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
De Havilland DH 60 (Moth) Series Aeroplanes
AD/DH 60/5
Amdt 1
Flight Limitations and Structural Inspection 13/98
Applicability: All Models DH60 series aircraft.
Requirement: Action in accordance with British Aerospace (BAe) Mandatory Technical News Sheet (TNS) CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2.
Compliance: 1. For aircraft requiring aerobatic and spinning clearance:
Accomplish the instructions contained within TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2 Paragraph 8B and 8D before resuming aerobatic flight, while Paragraphs 8A and 8C of TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2 must be completed within 150 hours time in service after 3 December 1998 or before 3 December 1999, whichever occurs first.
2. For aircraft not requiring aerobatic and spinning clearance, including those aircraft not affected by the initial issue of this directive:
Accomplish the instructions contained within TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2 Paragraphs 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D within 150 hours time in service after
3 December 1998 or before 3 December 1999, whichever occurs first.
Where the intent of the spar root inspection with bolts removed (Paragraph 8B refers) has been carried out during restoration/overhaul work prior to the issue of TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2; provided that the work carried out is sequivalent to Paragraph 8B which includes wet assembly, and is substantiated by documented proof, compliance with Paragraph 8B is not required.
3. Repeat the structural inspection contained within TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2 Paragraph 8A at intervals not to exceed 3 calendar years.
This amendment becomes effective on 3 December 1998.
Background: A recent accident occurred involving a Tiger Moth aircraft. The aircraft was involved in aerobatic manoeuvres and suffered structural failure. This Directive prohibited any form of aerobatic or spinning manoeuvres pending the conclusion of an accident investigation.
Amendment 1 is issued in response to Issue 2 of BAe TNS No. 32 which was issued in response to the results of the accident investigation. This Directive introduces a specific inspection to clear aerobatic and spinning manoeuvres and a structural inspection program to ensure the continued airworthiness of the aircraft.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 25 March 1998.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, are a comprehensive set of regulations governing civil aviation safety in Australia. One part of these regulations, specifically Part 39 - 105, focuses on the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, addressing the critical need to ensure the airworthiness of aircraft. This particular legislative instrument, F2006B08892, pertains to the De Havilland DH 60 (Moth) series aeroplanes and was introduced to address safety concerns identified after an accident involving a Tiger Moth aircraft during aerobatic manoeuvres, which led to structural failure. The policy objective is to ensure the continued airworthiness of these aircraft by mandating specific flight limitations and structural inspections as outlined in British Aerospace's Mandatory Technical News Sheet CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, applies to all models of DH 60 series aircraft within the Commonwealth of Australia. This legislation is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and is designed to ensure the continued airworthiness of the specified aircraft by implementing mandatory technical instructions issued by British Aerospace (BAe). The directive applies to both aircraft requiring aerobatic and spinning clearance and those that do not, mandating specific actions according to BAe’s Mandatory Technical News Sheet (TNS) CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2. Aircraft requiring aerobatic and spinning clearance must follow particular instructions before resuming such activities, while other aircraft must complete specified inspections within 150 hours of time in service after 3 December 1998 or before 3 December 1999. The inspections must be repeated at intervals not exceeding three calendar years. This legislation does not apply if the spar root inspection with bolts removed has already been performed during a prior restoration or overhaul, provided it is equivalent to the specified requirements and adequately documented. This amendment was introduced in response to a recent accident and subsequent investigation, and it became effective on 3 December 1998.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Section 105, mandates the compliance with Airworthiness Directives (AD) for certain aircraft types, including the De Havilland DH 60 series. This regulation is essential to ensure the safety and airworthiness of these aircraft, particularly following incidents such as the structural failure of a Tiger Moth during aerobatic manoeuvres. The directive in question, AD/DH 60/5 Amendment 1, focuses on flight limitations and structural inspections for all models within the DH 60 series (section 1).
The directive requires compliance with the British Aerospace Mandatory Technical News Sheet (TNS) CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2, which outlines specific actions to be taken to ensure safety. For aircraft that require aerobatic and spinning clearance, certain paragraphs (8B and 8D) must be completed before resuming aerobatic flights, while other paragraphs (8A and 8C) must be addressed within 150 hours of time in service after 3 December 1998, or before 3 December 1999 (section 1(1)). For aircraft that do not require aerobatic clearance, all paragraphs (8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D) must be completed within the same timeframe (section 1(2)). Aircraft that have already undergone equivalent inspections as specified in paragraph 8B during restoration or overhaul work prior to the issuance of TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2, and have documented proof of such work, are exempt from repeating the inspection specified in paragraph 8B (section 1(3)). Furthermore, the structural inspection outlined in paragraph 8A must be repeated at intervals not exceeding three calendar years (section 1(3)).
The obligations imposed by this directive are clear and specific. Owners and operators of DH 60 series aircraft must ensure that their aircraft comply with the instructions set forth in TNS CT (Moth) No. 32 Issue 2. This involves conducting the specified inspections and actions within the stipulated timeframes, and maintaining proper documentation to substantiate any inspections that have already been performed. Failure to comply with these requirements can lead to significant safety risks and could result in the aircraft being grounded or deemed unairworthy.
There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences outlined in this specific directive. However, non-compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations, including Airworthiness Directives, can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions can include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and other regulatory measures. The severity of the consequences would depend on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, as well as any resultant safety risks. It is important for aircraft owners and operators to adhere strictly to these directives to avoid any potential enforcement actions.