Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, form the primary legal framework governing civil aviation within the country. One specific legislative instrument under this Act is the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address identified safety issues. The AD/F27/152 issued on 23 June 2000 is an example of such legislation, targeting Fokker F27 Series Aeroplanes to mitigate the risk of accessory gearbox drive shaft failures. This Airworthiness Directive mandates regular greasing and inspection of the accessory gearbox drive shafts in accordance with specified procedures, following reports of failures that led to combustion chamber damage and flame outbreaks due to inadequate lubrication. The objective of this directive is to ensure ongoing airworthiness and safety of the affected aircraft by enforcing timely maintenance actions.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) F2006B09719 issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to all Fokker F27 series aircraft, including marks 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700. The directive mandates that grease and inspection of the accessory gearbox drive shafts be carried out according to specific instructions to address an identified safety issue. This requirement must be adhered to within 50 hours of the aircraft being in service from the effective date of the directive, and subsequently at intervals of 50 hours of time in service. The directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and was prompted by reports of accessory gearbox drive shaft failures, which have been linked to inadequate lubrication. The directive is applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia, as it is notified under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 which are of a federal nature. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within the directive itself, although the specific requirements and compliance schedule are detailed to ensure the safety measures are implemented effectively.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of the Airworthiness Directive (AD/F27/152) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) are the applicability, requirement, and compliance sections. The applicability section specifies that the directive applies to Fokker F27 Mks 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 series aircraft. The requirement section mandates that the accessory gearbox drive shafts be greased and inspected in accordance with Dowty Aerospace Wolverhampton Service Bulletin 83-518 dated 6 October 1999. The compliance section sets the timeframe, requiring this action to be completed within 50 hours of time in service (TIS) from the effective date of the directive, and thereafter at intervals of 50 hours TIS. The AD imposes several obligations on the parties governed by it, primarily those who operate or maintain Fokker F27 series aircraft. They must ensure that the accessory gearbox drive shafts are properly greased and inspected according to the specified service bulletin. This is a safety measure aimed at preventing failures that could result in combustion chamber damage and subsequent flame break out, as these have been linked to inadequate lubrication. The directive further necessitates adherence to the compliance schedule, ensuring that the required maintenance is conducted within the specified timeframes. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can lead to severe consequences. While the specific civil or criminal penalties for breach are not detailed within this particular directive, non-compliance with CASA directives generally can result in substantial fines and potential legal action against the operators or maintainers of the aircraft. Additionally, failure to adhere to such directives can lead to the grounding of the aircraft until the required actions are completed, causing significant operational disruptions and potential financial losses.