Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, address safety concerns in civil aviation through Airworthiness Directives, with AD/DH 94/2 focusing on cockpit safety harness integrity and life limits for DH 94 (Moth Minor) Series Aeroplanes. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this directive was introduced to address issues identified following a fatal accident in the United Kingdom, where harness restraint cables and stitching near the lap strap failed during impact, indicating significant deterioration in webbing strength without visible signs. The policy objective is to ensure the safety of pilots by mandating rigorous inspections and replacements of cockpit safety harnesses to prevent similar incidents. This legislative instrument, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, requires inspections and replacements of specific cockpit safety harness parts in DH 94 Series aircraft. It mandates inspections within certain timeframes, such as within 10 flying hours or before 17 September 1999, and replacements within specific intervals, such as within 9 years of initial installation or 150 flying hours, whichever comes first. The directive became effective on 17 June 1999, aiming to mitigate the risk of harness failure and enhance aviation safety.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, specifically mandate the installation and maintenance of cockpit safety harnesses for all DH 94 Series aircraft. This directive applies to any aircraft within the DH 94 (Moth Minor) series, ensuring that both the front and rear cockpit safety harnesses are inspected and maintained to ensure their integrity and compliance with specified standards. The regulations require adherence to particular inspection protocols as outlined in British Aerospace Mandatory TNS CT(Moth) No. 33 Issue 1 dated 1 March 1999. Failure to comply with these directives can result in severe safety risks, as evidenced by a fatal accident in the UK where harness failure contributed to the incident. The directive became effective on 17 June 1999, with compliance timelines set to ensure ongoing safety, including inspections within specific intervals and replacement of certain harness parts based on their installation date or flying hours. This directive underscores the importance of stringent safety measures in civil aviation to protect pilots and ensure aircraft airworthiness.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105, include a detailed Airworthiness Directive (AD) for DH 94 (Moth Minor) series aeroplanes concerning the cockpit safety harness installation (AD/DH 94/2). This directive mandates specific actions to ensure the integrity and life of the cockpit safety harnesses (1). Firstly, it requires inspecting the integrity of the front and rear cockpit safety harness installations in accordance with specified paragraphs from British Aerospace Mandatory TNS CT(Moth) No. 33 Issue 1 dated 1 March 1999 (2). Secondly, it mandates an inspection of the harness installations following another set of specified paragraphs from the same document (3). Thirdly, it necessitates the replacement of certain front and rear cockpit safety harnesses (P/Ns H20746, 94F83, or 94F155) according to the outlined procedures in Paragraph 2D of the same document (4). The directive references UK CAA AD 007-03-99 for further guidance. The obligations imposed by this directive include ensuring that the cockpit safety harness installations are inspected and, if necessary, replaced in compliance with the specified timelines and procedures. The inspections must occur within 10 flying hours or before 17 September 1999, whichever comes first, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 12 months (5). For the replacement of specific harnesses, the action must be taken within 9 years of the initial installation date, or within 150 flying hours, or before 17 June 2002, whichever occurs first, if the installation date is unknown (6). The directive became effective on 17 June 1999. Failure to comply with the requirements set out in this Airworthiness Directive may result in severe consequences. The legislation does not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance, but non-compliance with ADs generally can lead to significant safety risks, including potential accidents and fatalities. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce compliance and may take action against operators who fail to adhere to these directives, including fines, suspension of operations, or other regulatory penalties. It is crucial for operators to ensure strict adherence to the timelines and procedures specified to avoid any adverse outcomes.