AD/ELECT/69 - Steam Oven Motor Relay

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, was enacted to regulate civil aviation safety in Australia and to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. This legislative instrument was introduced to address safety concerns arising from the operation of specific aircraft equipment, such as the electrical components of aircraft galleys. The directive aims to prevent potential hazards that could compromise the safety of passengers and crew during flight. This particular directive, AD/ELECT/69, targets the modification of the motor relay in B/E Aerospace Inc, Royal Inventum Company Galley Products Division Model DS900 series Steam Ovens, following reports of smoke generation during flight due to motor overheating. The objective is to ensure that the oven motor switches off appropriately, thus preventing overheating and the associated risk of smoke in the aircraft cabin. This directive is effective from 5 August 1998, and compliance is required before installation in an aircraft as a replacement unit or prior to 1 January 1999, whichever occurs first.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Subpart 107, and the Airworthiness Directive AD/ELECT/69, issued on 10th August 1998, apply to B/E Aerospace Inc and Royal Inventum Company, mandating modifications to the motor relay of specific model DS900 series steam ovens. This legislation is applicable to ovens with particular part numbers and serial numbers, which must be modified in accordance with the provided service bulletins. Compliance with these directives is mandatory before the ovens are installed in an aircraft as a replacement unit or prior to 1 January 1999, whichever event occurs first. The directive became effective on 5 August 1998 and is a response to incidents where the ovens generated smoke during flight due to a component failure causing the motor to overheat. The directive aims to prevent such occurrences by ensuring the motor switches off appropriately to avoid overheating. The scope of this legislation is national, governed under the Commonwealth of Australia, and it extends to any entity involved in the manufacture, maintenance, or installation of the specified ovens in Australian-registered aircraft. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in the directive, and it is expected that compliance will be monitored and enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39, specifically the airworthiness directive AD/ELECT/69, pertain to the modification of motor relays in certain B/E Aerospace Inc, Galley Products Division Model DS900 series Steam Ovens. The directive applies to specific serial numbers of these ovens and mandates a modification of the motor relay to prevent overheating and consequent smoke generation during operation (Sections 1-2). This modification must be carried out in accordance with the specifications laid out in B/E Aerospace Alert Service Bulletins 72070000-25-01, 72070500-25-01, or 72070501-25-01, all dated 1 May 1998. These service bulletins detail the precise changes needed to ensure the motor switches off correctly and does not overheat, thereby preventing smoke generation. The directive imposes specific obligations on the entities governed by it. These include the requirement for compliance with the modifications before the ovens are installed in an aircraft as replacement units or prior to 1 January 1999, whichever comes first. The directive is effective from 5 August 1998. The modifications are intended to address the risk of smoke generation in the aircraft cabin due to motor overheating, as reported by the Netherlands Rijksluchtvaartdienst. The compliance must be verified before any installation or the specified deadline, ensuring that the safety measures are implemented effectively and promptly. In terms of consequences for non-compliance, the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39, do not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties within the provided text. However, failure to comply with airworthiness directives can have significant implications. Non-compliance can lead to aircraft being deemed non-airworthy, which may result in grounding of the aircraft until the required modifications are completed. Additionally, there could be civil or criminal consequences for individuals or entities responsible for ensuring compliance, potentially including fines, enforcement actions, and legal liabilities. The exact penalties would depend on the broader regulatory framework and any additional legislative provisions that may apply.