AD/F27/131 Amdt 1 - AN - Bolts

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by F2006B09698, is a legislative instrument designed to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this Act aims to address issues related to the airworthiness of specific aircraft models, such as the Fokker F27 Series Aeroplanes, by issuing Airworthiness Directives. The primary policy objective of these regulations is to maintain high safety standards in civil aviation by ensuring that all aircraft meet stringent airworthiness criteria. The specific amendments, such as those detailed in AD/F27/131 Amendment 1, focus on replacing critical bolts with those of a superior specification to enhance the structural integrity and safety of the aircraft, particularly in areas such as the nacelle brace installation and the connection between the nose landing gear bracket and the forward pressure bulkhead.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 105, mandates specific airworthiness directives for certain aircraft to ensure safety and compliance with aviation standards. One such directive, AD/F27/131 Amendment 1, applies specifically to Fokker F27 Series aeroplanes, excluding the Mk 050 model, and pertains to those aircraft with serial numbers listed in Fokker Service Bulletin F27/51-10 Revision 2. This directive requires the replacement of certain bolts in the nacelle brace installation and the connection between the nose landing gear bracket and the forward pressure bulkhead with bolts of a superior specification. The directive is applicable to the relevant Fokker F27 aircraft and must be complied with before 1 January 1995. The geographic reach of this regulation is national, ensuring that all operators within Australia adhere to these safety standards. The directive extends its application through subordinate instruments such as Fokker Service Bulletins and Engineering Modification Instructions, ensuring that specific technical details and procedures are followed accurately.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives. This legislation requires specific actions to ensure the airworthiness of Fokker F27 series aeroplanes. According to AD/F27/131 Amendment 1, Fokker F27 aircraft (excluding the Mk 050 model) with particular serial numbers must replace certain bolts in the nacelle brace installation and engine mount. The affected bolts include eight AN-bolts part number AN178-13A and four AN-bolts part number AN178-26A in the nacelle brace installation, which must be replaced with bolts part number NAS1308-11D and NAS1308-34D, respectively. Additionally, eight AN-bolts part number AN178-26A that attach the engine mount to the nacelle firewall must be replaced with bolts part number NAS1308-34D. These changes must be made in accordance with Engineering Modification Instruction (EMI) No. 171, as detailed in Fokker Service Bulletin F27/51-10 Revision 2. Further, the regulation mandates replacing specific AN-bolts in the connection between the nose landing gear bracket and the forward pressure bulkhead. Specifically, AN-bolt part number AN7-14A must be replaced with bolt part number NAS1307-15D, AN-bolt part number AN7-16A with bolt part number NAS1307-19D, three AN-bolts part number AN8-16A with bolts part number NAS1308-17D, and AN-bolt part number AN8-17A with bolt part number NAS1308-19D. This replacement must be carried out in accordance with Figure No. 7 in Fokker Service Bulletin F27/51-10 Revision 2. These modifications are critical to ensuring the safety of the aircraft and must be completed prior to 1 January 1995. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 impose several obligations on the parties involved. Aircraft operators and owners must ensure that their Fokker F27 aircraft comply with the specified airworthiness directives. This includes identifying the relevant aircraft models and serial numbers, sourcing the correct replacement bolts, and following the detailed procedures outlined in the Fokker Service Bulletin and Engineering Modification Instructions. Failure to adhere to these requirements can result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, leading to potential grounding and significant operational disruptions. Non-compliance with the provisions of AD/F27/131 Amendment 1 can lead to serious consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can result in civil penalties. The maximum penalty for an individual is $16,200, while the maximum penalty for a body corporate is $810,000. Additionally, the Director of Civil Aviation Safety may issue a direction to rectify the non-compliance, and continued operation of a non-compliant aircraft can lead to criminal charges, including imprisonment for up to two years. Therefore, it is imperative that all relevant parties strictly adhere to the requirements of this directive to avoid these severe consequences.