AD/F100/6 - Rib/Auxiliary Spar Attachment Rivets

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, establish and regulate the safety standards for aircraft operations and maintenance across the country. Part 39, specifically, includes Airworthiness Directives aimed at ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. One such directive, AD/F100/6, pertains to Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aeroplanes and addresses issues identified during fatigue testing. The problem this directive seeks to resolve is the weakening of the rib-to-auxiliary-spar attachment at wing STA.10110, which was evidenced by the breaking of aluminium alloy rivets in certain aircraft models. The directive mandates the replacement of these rivets with stronger nickel-copper alloy rivets and hilok bolts to enhance the structural integrity of the specified Fokker F100 aircraft. This legislative instrument is intended to ensure compliance with safety standards to prevent potential in-flight failures and ensure the continued airworthiness of the affected aircraft.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) Series Aeroplanes. This legislation applies to Fokker F100 aircraft with serial numbers 11244 through 11256, 11259, 11260, and 11268 through 11278, mandating that affected aluminium alloy rivets be replaced with two nickel-copper alloy rivets and four hilok bolts in accordance with Fokker Service Bulletin (SB) F100-57-017 dated 12 September 1991. Compliance with this directive is required before the aircraft accumulates 18,000 flight cycles since new or before 50 flight cycles after 22 April 1999, whichever occurs later. The directive became effective on 22 April 1999 and was necessitated by the discovery of six broken rivets during fatigue tests, specifically located at the rib-to-auxiliary-spar attachment at wing STA.10110, which required a modification to strengthen this attachment. The reference to RLD BLA 91-107 further underscores the regulatory context within which these directives are implemented.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, include an Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertaining to Fokker F100 (F28 Mk 100) series aeroplanes. The directive, AD/F100/6, concerns the replacement of aluminium alloy rivets with two nickel-copper alloy rivets and four hilok bolts at the rib/auxiliary spar attachment at wing station 10110 (section 3). This requirement is outlined in Fokker Service Bulletin (SB) F100-57-017 dated 12 September 1991, and references RLD BLA 91-107 for further detail. The AD applies to F.28 MK.0100 aircraft serial numbers 11244 through 11256, 11259, 11260, and 11268 through 11278 (section 4). Compliance with this directive must be achieved either before the aircraft accumulates 18,000 flight cycles since new or before 50 flight cycles after the effective date of the directive, 22 April 1999, whichever occurs later (section 5). The obligations imposed by this directive require aircraft operators to ensure that the specified rivet replacements are completed on the affected aircraft within the stipulated timeframe. This involves the acquisition of the correct materials, following the guidelines provided in the Fokker Service Bulletin, and conducting the necessary modifications to comply with the directive. Operators must maintain records and documentation to demonstrate compliance with the AD, which may be subject to inspection by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ensure adherence to the regulatory requirements. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive may result in civil and/or criminal consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with an AD can lead to penalties. The maximum penalty for contravening an AD may include fines, imprisonment, or both. The exact penalties are determined by the severity of the breach and the discretion of the court. Additionally, non-compliance with ADs can lead to operational restrictions or grounding of the affected aircraft until the required modifications are completed and verified by CASA. This can result in significant operational disruptions and potential financial losses for the operators.