AD/F406/2 Amdt 1 - Aircraft Flight Manual, Flight into Icing Conditions

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Reims Aviation F406 Series Aeroplanes

 

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE


For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/F406/2 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

 

AD/F406/2

Amdt 1


Aircraft Flight Manual, Flight into Icing Conditions 7/2000

 

Applicability: All F406 aeroplanes. Requirement:  Revise:

  1. The Limitations Section of the aircraft's Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) by incorporating the following:

 

"WARNING"

Severe icing may result from environmental conditions outside of those for which the aircraft is certificated.

 

Flight in freezing rain, freezing drizzle, or mixed icing conditions (super cooled liquid water and ice crystals) may result in:

 

  • ice build-up on protected surfaces and exceed the capability of the ice protection system, or

 

  • ice forming aft of the protected surfaces.

This ice may not be shed using the ice protection systems, and may seriously degrade the performance and controllability of the aircraft.

 

  • During flight, severe icing conditions that exceed those for which the aircraft is certificated shall be determined by the visual cues described below. If one or more of these visual cues exists, immediately request priority handling from Air Traffic Control to facilitate a route or an altitude change to exit the icing conditions. The cues are:

 

  • unusually extensive ice accumulation on the airframe and windscreen in areas not normally observed to collect ice, and/or

 

  • accumulation of ice on the upper surface of the wing aft of the protected area, and/or

 

  • accumulation of ice on the engine nacelles and propeller spinners farther aft than normally observed.

 

 

Since the auto-pilot, when installed and operating, may mask tactile cues that indicate adverse changes in handling characteristics, use of the auto-pilot is prohibited when any of the visual cues specified above exist, or when unusual lateral trim requirements or auto-pilot trim warnings are encountered while the aircraft is in icing conditions.

 

All wing icing inspection lights must be operative prior to flight into known or forecast icing conditions at night. This direction supersedes any relief provided  by any Minimum Equipment List.

 

 

 

2.     The Normal Procedures Section of the approved AFM by incorporating the following:

 

THE FOLLOWING WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY BE CONDUCIVE TO SEVERE IN-FLIGHT ICING:

  • Visible rain at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius ambient air temperature;
  • Droplets that splash or splatter on impact at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius ambient air temperature.

 

PROCEDURES FOR EXITING A SEVERE ICING

ENVIRONMENT: (These procedures are applicable to all flight phases from take-off to landing.)

 

Monitor the ambient air temperature.

 

While severe icing may form at temperatures as cold as -18 degrees Celsius, increased vigilance is warranted at temperatures around freezing when visible moisture is present.

 

 

If the visual cues which are specified in the Limitations Section of the AFM for identifying severe icing conditions are observed, accomplish the following:

 

  • Immediately request priority handling from Air Traffic Control to facilitate a route or an altitude change to exit the severe icing conditions in order to avoid extended exposure to flight conditions more severe than those for which the aircraft has been certificated.

 

  • Avoid abrupt and excessive manoeuvring that may exacerbate control difficulties.

 

  • Do not engage the autopilot.
  • If the autopilot had previously been engaged, hold the control wheel firmly and disengage the autopilot.

 

  • If an unusual roll response or un-commanded roll control movement is observed, reduce the angle-of-attack.

 

  • Do not extend flaps when holding in icing conditions. Operation with flaps extended can result in a reduced wing angle-of-attack, with the possibility of ice forming on the upper surface further aft on the wing than normal, possibly aft of the protected area.

 

  • If the flaps are extended, do not retract them until the airframe is clear of ice.
  • Report these weather conditions to Air Traffic Control.

Notes:

 

  1. Certificate of Registration holders should initiate action to ensure notification of this change is conveyed to any person who may operate their aircraft as pilot in command.

 

2.    DGAC AD 1998-337(A) refers.

 

Certification for accomplishment of this Directive may be carried out:

 

  1. after a copy of this Directive is included in the appropriate sections of the aircraft's approved AFM; and

 

b.     may be carried out at a minimum, by the holder of a private pilot's licence.

 

 

Compliance: Within 30 days after the Effective date of this Amendment.

 

This Amendment becomes effective on 13 July 2000.

 

Background:  This Directive is issued to minimise the potential hazards associated with operating the aircraft in severe icing conditions by providing more clearly defined procedures and limitations associated with such conditions.

 

Amendment 1 is issued to correct a word processing error in the initial issue.

 

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 23 March 2000.


 

Bernard Malcolm Hole

Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 31 May 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 June 2000.

Overview

The Airworthiness Directive AD/F406/2, issued under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, addresses the safety concerns associated with operating Reims Aviation F406 Series Aeroplanes in severe in-flight icing conditions. Enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) as a delegate of the Commonwealth Government, the directive aims to mitigate the risks posed by severe icing by updating the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to include clearer limitations and procedures for such conditions. The policy objective is to ensure the safe operation of F406 aeroplanes by providing pilots with precise guidance on recognising and responding to severe icing, thereby reducing the potential for accidents due to ice accumulation on the aircraft. The directive requires holders of the Certificate of Registration for these aircraft to update their AFMs with the specified limitations and procedures within 30 days of the directive's effective date, which was 13 July 2000.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/F406/2 applies to all F406 series aeroplanes, ensuring that they meet specific airworthiness standards to mitigate the risks associated with operating in severe icing conditions. This legislative instrument, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, mandates that the aircraft's Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) be revised to incorporate updated limitations and procedures for managing severe icing conditions. The directive requires certificate holders to update their AFMs to include warnings about the potential for severe icing, visual cues for recognising severe icing conditions, and procedures for exiting such conditions. Compliance with this AD is mandatory within 30 days from the effective date of the amendment, which is 13 July 2000. This directive is intended to ensure that pilots are adequately informed and prepared to handle severe icing conditions, thereby enhancing the safety of flights involving F406 series aeroplanes within Australian airspace.

Key Provisions

This Airworthiness Directive (AD) mandates that all F406 series aeroplanes must undergo revisions to their Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) to include specific procedures and limitations for flight into severe icing conditions (sections 2 and 3). These changes are intended to ensure that pilots are aware of the risks associated with flying in such conditions and have clear guidelines for how to respond. The AD specifies that the Limitations Section of the AFM must include a warning about the dangers of severe icing, detailing conditions where ice build-up can exceed the aircraft's certification and the visual cues that indicate severe icing. The Normal Procedures Section must be updated to include procedures for exiting severe icing conditions and precautions to avoid exacerbating control difficulties. The AD also requires that the wing icing inspection lights must be operational before flight into known or forecast icing conditions at night, overriding any provisions in the Minimum Equipment List that might otherwise permit exemptions. Operators of F406 aeroplanes are required to revise their AFMs in accordance with the AD's specifications within 30 days of the directive's effective date. This involves incorporating the detailed warnings and procedures into the AFM and ensuring that all personnel who operate these aircraft as pilots in command are notified of these changes. The AD specifies that certification of compliance can be achieved by including the directive in the appropriate sections of the AFM and can be carried out by a holder of a private pilot's licence. Failure to comply with this AD can result in significant safety risks, as the AD is designed to mitigate hazards associated with severe icing conditions. Non-compliance may lead to aircraft operating outside their certified capabilities, increasing the risk of accidents. While the AD itself does not specify particular penalties for non-compliance, it falls under the regulatory framework of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which may impose penalties including fines and other enforcement actions for violations of aviation safety regulations. The severity of these penalties would depend on the specific circumstances of the non-compliance and the impact on aviation safety.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.