Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39, encompass various directives aimed at ensuring the airworthiness of aircraft operating in Australia. One such directive is Airworthiness Directive (AD) F100/42 issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. This AD, effective from 15 June 2000, was introduced in response to a specific safety concern regarding the Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aeroplanes. The directive mandates an inspection of the main landing gear downlock actuator to prevent undercarriage collapses during landing, as highlighted by an incident where extreme side-load conditions during landing caused a main gear collapse without any component failure. The primary objective of this AD is to mitigate the risk of such occurrences by ensuring that the specified inspection is conducted within six months from the directive's effective date.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to the Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aeroplanes, mandating the inspection of the main landing gear downlock actuator as outlined in the directive. The directive is aimed at ensuring the safety of these aircraft by addressing a specific condition that has been identified as potentially unsafe, particularly during landing, where a main undercarriage collapse risk has been noted. The requirement for inspection is to be conducted in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions provided in Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-32-094 Revision 1, and must be carried out within six months from the effective date of the directive, which is 15 June 2000. This directive applies nationally across the Commonwealth of Australia and extends to any operator or owner of a Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aircraft within Australia. The directive does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, and its compliance is mandatory for all applicable aircraft. The directive’s application is enforced through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which has the authority to issue such directives under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 to ensure the safety standards are met in the aviation industry.

Key Provisions

The main operative section of this Airworthiness Directive (AD) (39-105) pertains to Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aeroplanes and requires the inspection of the main landing gear downlock actuator as specified in Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-32-094 Revision 1 (AD/F100/42). The directive is applicable to all F28 Mk 100 series aircraft and must be complied with within six calendar months from the effective date of the directive, which is 15 June 2000. This action is mandated to correct an unsafe condition identified in the background section, where a main undercarriage collapse occurred during landing due to extreme inward side-load conditions causing the lock toggle link to be pulled out of the overcentre position. The obligations and requirements imposed by this Airworthiness Directive are centred on ensuring the safety of the Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aircraft. Operators of these aircraft are required to inspect the main landing gear downlock actuator according to the Accomplishment Instructions provided in Fokker Service Bulletin SBF100-32-094 Revision 1. This inspection must be carried out unless it has already been performed previously. The directive references RLD AD 94-163(A) and is issued by the delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) as per subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998). Breach of the requirements outlined in this Airworthiness Directive could lead to serious safety implications for the Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aircraft. The directive itself does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance. However, the overarching framework of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 would apply, where non-compliance with ADs can result in enforcement actions by CASA. Such actions might include fines, enforcement notices, or other regulatory measures to ensure adherence to airworthiness standards. The exact penalties would depend on the nature and severity of the non-compliance.