COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series Aeroplanes
AD/EMB-120/12
Amdt 1
Aileron Upper Channel Fairings 7/96
Applicability: Model EMB-120 aircraft with serial numbers listed in Embraer Service Bulletin 120- 57-0021 Revision 2.
Requirement: Action in accordance with Embraer Service Bulletin 120-57-0021 Revision 2.
Note: CTA AD 95-01-01 R2 refers.
Compliance: Unless already accomplished in accordance with initial issue of this Directive, before 20 September 1996.
Background: There have been several reported instances of stiffness in the aileron control system. An investigation revealed that the cause was ice forming between the aileron upper channel fairings (kevlar strips), and the aileron leading edge surface. This Directive requires the removal and discarding of the upper channel fairings plus other rework action.
Amendment 1 is issued in response to revisions of the Requirement Document and CTA AD, which add new material information plus dimension and instruction changes.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 23 March 1995.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), introduce and regulate the safety of civil aviation within Australia. One particular legislative instrument, F2006B09501, pertains to the Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series Aeroplanes and is aimed at addressing the problem of stiffness in the aileron control system due to ice formation between the aileron upper channel fairings and the aileron leading edge surface. This issue was identified through several reported instances that compromised the safety and operational efficiency of the aircraft. The policy objective behind this legislative instrument is to ensure the airworthiness of these aircraft by mandating specific actions as outlined in Embraer Service Bulletin 120-57-0021 Revision 2. The requirement includes the removal and discarding of the upper channel fairings along with other necessary rework actions to mitigate the identified safety risks. Compliance with this directive is mandatory unless the specified actions were already completed as per the initial issue of the directive.
Scope and Application
The Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) Series Aeroplanes Airworthiness Directive, specifically AD/EMB-120/12 Amendment 1, applies to all EMB-120 aircraft with serial numbers listed in Embraer Service Bulletin 120-57-0021 Revision 2. This legislation mandates compliance with the actions outlined in the referenced service bulletin, which includes the removal and discarding of the aileron upper channel fairings and additional rework actions, due to reported instances of stiffness in the aileron control system caused by ice formation between the aileron upper channel fairings and the aileron leading edge surface. This Airworthiness Directive is part of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia, and it specifically targets aircraft that need to meet the outlined safety standards. The directive is applicable nationally and is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. There are no specific exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds mentioned in the directive, but compliance is required unless the actions have already been accomplished in accordance with the initial issue of this Directive before 20 September 1996. The application of this directive can be extended or modified through subordinate instruments issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, address specific maintenance and operational requirements for certain aircraft types. For instance, AD/EMB-120/12 Amendment 1 pertains to the Embraer EMB-120 (Brasilia) series aeroplanes (section 1). This directive applies to Model EMB-120 aircraft with serial numbers specified in Embraer Service Bulletin 120-57-0021 Revision 2 (section 2). The primary requirement is that affected aircraft must undergo action in accordance with the specified service bulletin (section 3). Notably, it references the CTA AD 95-01-01 R2, indicating alignment with other regulatory directives (section 4).
The directive imposes specific obligations on the operators and maintenance personnel of the affected aircraft. Operators must ensure that the required modifications are carried out on their EMB-120 aircraft before 20 September 1996, unless these have already been completed in response to the initial issue of the directive (section 5). The modifications include the removal and discarding of the aileron upper channel fairings and additional rework as detailed in the Embraer Service Bulletin (section 6). This requirement stems from reports of stiffness in the aileron control system, traced to ice formation between the aileron upper channel fairings and the aileron leading edge surface (section 7).
Failure to comply with the provisions of this Airworthiness Directive could lead to serious safety implications, given the identified issues with the aileron control system. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance in this context. However, non-compliance with CASA directives generally could result in enforcement actions, including fines or other penalties as prescribed by the Civil Aviation Act 1988. The seriousness of the issue, related to flight safety, suggests that CASA may pursue stringent measures to ensure adherence to the directive to prevent potential accidents or incidents.