AD/EMB-110/38 Amdt 2 - Main Landing Gear Axle

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended by the Legislative instrument F2006B09478, specifically address the safety concerns associated with the main landing gear axle of the Embraer EMB-110 (Bandeirante) series aircraft. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this amendment aims to rectify a gap in the regulatory framework by introducing stringent inspection protocols to prevent cracking in the main landing gear axle support assembly. The policy objective is to ensure that aircraft maintain their airworthiness by adhering to these enhanced inspection standards, thereby reducing the risk of structural failure during landing operations. Compliance with these regulations requires inspections before certain flight milestones and periodic re-inspections to maintain safety standards, referencing specific Embraer service bulletins to ensure uniformity and effectiveness in the inspection process.

Scope and Application

The Embraer EMB-110 (Bandeirante) Series Aeroplanes Airworthiness Directive, AD/EMB-110/38 Amendment 2, applies specifically to all aircraft within the Embraer EMB-110 series. The directive mandates regular inspection and maintenance of the main landing gear axle to ensure safety and compliance with civil aviation standards. The directive requires the use of magnetic particle or eddy current methods for inspecting the main landing gear axle support for cracks, with polishing of the inspection area only after the initial inspection. For aircraft with specific serial numbers, additional visual inspections of the axle to piston support junction profile are required. Compliance with these directives is mandatory and must be achieved within a specified timeframe post the issuance date of the directive, with periodic re-inspections to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. This directive is an integral part of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and applies nationally across Australia.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 105 and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, includes an amendment for Embraer EMB-110 (Bandeirante) Series Aeroplanes, referenced as AD/EMB-110/38 Amendment 2 (section 1). This amendment pertains to the inspection and maintenance of the main landing gear axle of all Embraer EMB-110 series aircraft (section 2). The requirement is to inspect the main landing gear axle support for cracks using either the magnetic particle or eddy current method, and to polish the inspection area after the initial inspection only (section 3). Additionally, for aircraft with specific serial numbers, a visual inspection of the axle to piston support junction is required to ensure the correct profile (section 4). These regulations impose specific obligations on the owners and operators of Embraer EMB-110 series aircraft. Primarily, they must ensure that the main landing gear axle support is inspected before the aircraft reaches 500 landings after 7 May 1987 (section 5). If the inspection reveals any issues, such as an incorrect profile, further inspections must be carried out at intervals not exceeding 1000 landings (section 6). Any rework of the wheel axle supports to correct the profile cancels the need for further inspections under this directive (section 7). Furthermore, aircraft that have been inspected in accordance with previous amendments of this Airworthiness Directive are exempt from further inspection using magnetic particle or eddy current methods until the next repeat inspection after 27 April 1995 (section 8). Failure to comply with these requirements may result in severe consequences. The regulations do not explicitly detail offences or penalties within the provided text, but non-compliance with Airworthiness Directives can generally lead to serious ramifications under civil aviation laws. Typically, this might include grounding of the aircraft, enforcement actions, fines, or other regulatory penalties. In extreme cases, violations could lead to criminal charges, especially if the non-compliance results in an aviation incident or accident. The specific penalties would depend on the jurisdiction and the severity of the breach.