AD/F50/36 - Alternate Brake System Cables

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, aim to regulate and ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. Part 39, specifically addressing airworthiness directives, seeks to mitigate risks associated with aircraft operations by mandating safety improvements and compliance measures. One such directive, AD/F50/36, pertains to Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) series aeroplanes and mandates actions concerning the alternate brake system cables to address issues of excessive wear, which have been linked to factors such as a small pulley radius, cable vibrations, and increased use of alternate brakes. The policy objective is to ensure ongoing airworthiness and safety by enforcing timely maintenance and inspections on these aircraft to prevent potential failures. Compliance with this directive requires specific actions in accordance with Fokker Service Bulletin F50-32-006 Rev 1, with the aim to address the identified safety concerns. The directive applies to F27 Mark 50 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 20103 to 20181. The directive stipulates that these actions must be carried out before exceeding 100 hours of time in service after 6 September 1990 or at the next scheduled inspection for the issue of a Maintenance Release after that date, whichever is later, and must be repeated at intervals not exceeding 1000 hours of time in service until the terminating action, which involves replacing the pulleys, is completed.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, mandate that the Airworthiness Directive AD/F50/36 applies to Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) series aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from 20103 through 20181. This regulation pertains to the alternate brake system cables of these aircraft and requires compliance with Fokker Service Bulletin F50-32-006 Revision 1. The directive is designed to address issues of excessive cable wear that have been traced to a small pulley radius, cable vibrations, and potentially more frequent use of the alternate brakes. The directive specifies that action must be taken unless it has already been executed within the 900 hours of time in service prior to 6 September 1990. It mandates that the required action must be completed before exceeding 100 hours of time in service after 6 September 1990, or at the next scheduled inspection for the issue of a Maintenance Release after that date, whichever occurs later, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 1000 hours of time in service until the terminating action is carried out. The terminating action, which involves replacing the pulleys, is considered to be in compliance with Part 2 of the Requirement document. This directive is a country of origin regulation, and its scope is restricted to the specified Fokker F50 series aircraft, ensuring adherence to stringent safety standards in Australian civil aviation.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, include the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, which addresses maintenance and safety requirements for various aircraft types. For Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) Series Aeroplanes, Airworthiness Directive AD/F50/36 pertains to the alternate brake system cables. This directive applies to aircraft with serial numbers (S/Nos) ranging from 20103 to 20181 (section 1). The directive mandates that the action be taken in accordance with Fokker Service Bulletin F50-32-006 Revision 1, with references to RLD BLA 89-063 Issue 2 (section 2). Compliance with Part 2 of the requirement document is considered as the terminating action for this directive (section 3). Operators of Fokker F50 aircraft within the specified serial number range must ensure that the alternate brake system cables are addressed as required by the directive. The action must be taken unless it has already been performed within 900 hours of time in service prior to 6 September 1990. If not, the action must occur before exceeding 100 hours of time in service after 6 September 1990, or at the next scheduled inspection for the issue of a Maintenance Release after 6 September 1990, whichever is later (section 4). The action must then be repeated at intervals not exceeding 1000 hours of time in service until the terminating action, which involves replacing the pulleys, is completed (section 5). This ensures that the issue of excessive cable wear, attributed to factors such as a small pulley radius, cable vibrations, and frequent use of alternate brakes, is adequately addressed. Failure to comply with the provisions of Airworthiness Directive AD/F50/36 may result in civil and criminal consequences. Operators are obligated to ensure that the required actions are taken within the specified timeframes. Non-compliance may lead to enforcement actions by CASA, which could include fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft’s Certificate of Airworthiness, and other regulatory penalties. The severity of the penalties may vary depending on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, with maximum penalties potentially including substantial fines and imprisonment for individuals responsible for ensuring compliance. Ensuring adherence to these directives is crucial for maintaining the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft.