AD/ELECT/23 - Nickel Cadmium Batteries with Polystyrene Cell Cases - Inspection and Replacement

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, established by the Commonwealth of Australia, represent a comprehensive framework designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within the nation. One of the key components of this legislative instrument is Part 39, which pertains specifically to the safety of electrical equipment used in aircraft. The 1998 Regulations were enacted to address the need for stringent safety standards in the aviation industry, ensuring that all equipment used in aircraft operations meet prescribed safety criteria to mitigate risks to passengers, crew, and the public. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, as part of its mandate, issues specific airworthiness directives to enforce compliance with these safety standards. The policy objective behind these regulations is to maintain the highest possible level of safety in civil aviation by regulating the inspection, maintenance, and replacement of critical components such as nickel cadmium batteries with polystyrene cell cases, as outlined in the AD/ELECT/23 directive.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, concerns the safety of electrical equipment used in aircraft, particularly focusing on nickel cadmium batteries with polystyrene cell cases. This regulation applies to any nickel cadmium battery, containing polystyrene cell cases, that can be used to start an aircraft engine or auxiliary power unit (APU), except those batteries installed in aircraft where the battery charging is automatically controlled as a function of battery temperature. The requirement set forth is that each such battery must be visually inspected for evidence of heat damage, including the cell links and cell tops. Depending on the inspection outcome, the battery may need to be replaced with one that has nylon cell cases, either by replacing individual cells or by replacing the entire battery with one that is approved for aircraft use and contains only nylon cells. Compliance with the inspection and replacement mandate must be achieved within 30 hours of time in service after 28 January 1972, with subsequent inspections occurring at intervals not exceeding seven days for batteries used for engine or APU starts. Batteries found to have heat damage must be replaced before further flight, and all other applicable batteries must be replaced before 1 August 1972. This regulation does not apply to batteries with nylon cell cases, which can be identified by their milky white or bluish appearance.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Subpart 107, includes Airworthiness Directive AD/ELECT/23 which addresses the inspection and replacement of nickel cadmium batteries with polystyrene cell cases used in aircraft engines or auxiliary power units (APU) (Section 1). This directive applies to any such battery unless the aircraft has automatic battery charging controlled by battery temperature (Section 1). The main requirement is to visually inspect each battery, including the cell links and cell tops, for signs of heat damage (Section 1). If heat damage is found, the battery must be replaced before further flight (Section 1). Furthermore, any battery containing polystyrene cell cases must be replaced with a battery containing nylon cells or an equivalent approved battery with all nylon cells (Section 2). Under the Civil Aviation Regulations, the obligations imposed on parties or entities governed by this directive include regular and thorough inspections of nickel cadmium batteries with polystyrene cell cases. Operators must ensure that these inspections are conducted within 30 hours of the battery being in service after 28 January 1972, and subsequently, at intervals not exceeding 7 days for batteries used for engine or APU starts, or attempted starts, until the battery is replaced in accordance with the directive (Section 1). For batteries that show evidence of heat damage, immediate replacement is mandated before the aircraft can be flown again (Section 1). Furthermore, all other batteries containing polystyrene cell cases must be replaced by 1 August 1972 (Section 1). These obligations are critical to maintaining the safety standards set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Failure to comply with the requirements outlined in AD/ELECT/23 can result in significant legal consequences. The regulations do not explicitly detail the penalties for non-compliance in the provided text, but non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can lead to severe civil and criminal penalties under Australian law. Civil penalties can include fines up to $126,000 for corporations and $25,200 for individuals, while criminal penalties can include imprisonment. The severity of these penalties underscores the importance of adhering to the directive to ensure the safety and compliance of aviation operations.