COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
DHC-3 (Otter) Series Aeroplanes
AD/DHC-3/36 Fire Detection and Extinguishing System 6/99
Applicability: All Model DHC-3 ‘Otter’ aeroplanes powered by Pratt and Whitney reciprocating, nine cylinder, radial, air-cooled engines.
Requirement: 1. Inspect the fire extinguishing system (FIREX) in accordance with the DHC-3 Maintenance Manual, PSM 1-3-2, pages 122 and 122A (revised
15 September 1963), paragraph 4.11.4.
2. If, during the Requirement 1 inspection, the FIREX is found to be unserviceable, either repair the system or replace it with a serviceable approved system.
3. Determine if the fire detection system (FIRDET) is time-expired by making reference to the appropriate Graviner Ltd literature such as Maintenance Leaflet ML 066 dated April 1981.
4. If, as a result of the Requirement 3 determination, the FIRDET is found to be time- expired, replace it with a serviceable approved system.
5. For aeroplanes that have had the FIREX and/or FIRDET removed, replace the missing system(s), as applicable, by installing an approved serviceable FIREX and/or FIRDET.
Note 1: Transport Canada Civil Aviation AD CF-99-06 refers.
Note 2: This Directive supersedes and cancels any approval granted by a modification approved under Civil Aviation Regulation 35 or in any Supplemental Type Certificate or equivalent document that authorises the removal of the FIREX and/or FIRDET.
Compliance: 1. Within 60 days after the effective date of this Directive.
2. No later than 30 April 2000.
3. Within 60 days after the effective date of this Directive.
4. No later than 30 April 2000.
5. No later than 30 April 2000.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 17 June 1999.
Background: Transport Canada Civil Aviation has advised that the initial type approval for the DHC-3 aircraft was ICAO Annex 8, 2nd Edition (Transport Category D) which specifies fire detecting and extinguishing provisions. Maintaining a serviceable fire detection system has proved difficult, primarily due to the fire detection sensing element having been time expired, replacement unavailable and no available approved substitute. A few approvals were previously granted by Transport Canada to authorise the removal of the fire detection and extinguishing system.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
This Directive has been issued to provide a temporary alleviation for those aeroplanes that are out of compliance with the DHC-3 type approval basis due to the FIREX and/or FIRDET systems being inoperative, time expired or having previously been granted permission to remove the fire detection and extinguishing system.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted to regulate civil aviation within Australia, ensuring the safety and efficiency of air travel. This legislation, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), was introduced to address various aviation safety issues and to align with international standards, particularly those set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). One of the specific directives under these regulations is AD/DHC-3/36, which pertains to the fire detection and extinguishing systems of DHC-3 ‘Otter’ series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address the problem of unserviceable or time-expired fire detection systems in these aircraft, ensuring that they remain compliant with airworthiness standards. The policy objective of this directive is to maintain the highest safety standards in civil aviation by mandating specific maintenance and replacement protocols for critical safety systems in aeroplanes.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, specifically AD/DHC-3/36, applies to all Model DHC-3 'Otter' aeroplanes powered by Pratt and Whitney reciprocating, nine cylinder, radial, air-cooled engines. This directive mandates the inspection, repair, replacement, or installation of the fire detection and extinguishing systems as per the outlined requirements, ensuring these systems are serviceable and meet the regulatory standards. Compliance with this directive is mandatory within specified timeframes, and failure to adhere to these requirements could result in the aeroplane being considered out of compliance with the DHC-3 type approval. This directive provides a temporary alleviation for aeroplanes that are currently non-compliant due to the inoperative, time-expired, or removed fire detection and extinguishing systems.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, include the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for various aircraft types, including the DHC-3 Otter series aeroplanes. The AD/DHC-3/36 pertains to the Fire Detection and Extinguishing System. Section 1 mandates inspecting the fire extinguishing system (FIREX) as per the DHC-3 Maintenance Manual, PSM 1-3-2, pages 122 and 122A (revised 15 September 1963), paragraph 4.11.4. If the FIREX is found to be unserviceable, it must either be repaired or replaced with an approved serviceable system (Section 2). Additionally, the fire detection system (FIRDET) must be checked for time-expiry using appropriate Graviner Ltd literature, such as Maintenance Leaflet ML 066 dated April 1981 (Section 3). If the FIRDET is time-expired, it must be replaced with an approved serviceable system (Section 4). For aeroplanes where the FIREX and/or FIRDET have been removed, the missing system(s) must be replaced with an approved serviceable system (Section 5). These compliance requirements must be met within specific timeframes, either within 60 days of the Directive's effective date or no later than 30 April 2000, depending on the requirement.
The obligations imposed by this AD include rigorous maintenance checks and replacements to ensure the FIREX and FIRDET systems are serviceable and up-to-date. Operators of DHC-3 ‘Otter’ aeroplanes must follow the detailed inspection and repair protocols as outlined in the DHC-3 Maintenance Manual and relevant literature to maintain compliance. Additionally, any aeroplanes that have had their fire detection and extinguishing systems removed must have these systems reinstalled to meet the AD requirements. The AD also explicitly cancels any previous approvals that allowed the removal of these critical safety systems.
Failure to comply with the AD/DHC-3/36 could lead to serious consequences. While the exact penalties are not specified within the text, breaches of Civil Aviation Regulations typically result in substantial fines, and in severe cases, the grounding of non-compliant aircraft. The AD is clear that any previous approvals allowing the removal of the FIREX and/or FIRDET are void, meaning any aeroplane operating without these systems after the effective date of this directive would be in violation of the regulations. This non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, including potential criminal charges for operators who knowingly allow unsafe aircraft to fly.