Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Australian Parliament, serves to regulate civil aviation safety and operations. Specifically, Part 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Regulations pertains to Airworthiness Directives, which are mandatory orders issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to ensure the continued airworthiness of aircraft. This particular Airworthiness Directive (AD) targets the Gulfstream (Grumman) G1159 and G-IV Series Aeroplanes, addressing a safety concern identified by the FAA regarding tyre tread separations on Gulfstream aircraft. The policy objective is to mitigate the risk of structural damage to the aircraft and ensure passenger safety by mandating inspections and replacements of specific Goodyear Flight Eagle tyres. The AD is issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations, requiring the specified actions to be taken within a stipulated timeframe to maintain compliance with airworthiness standards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, establishes the scope and application of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regarding the Gulfstream (Grumman) G1159 and G-IV Series Aeroplanes. This AD applies to Gulfstream GIV aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 1000 through 1213, excluding serial number 1183, as well as all serial numbers of Model GII, GIIB, and GIII aircraft, provided they are equipped with any Goodyear Flight Eagle tyre, 34x9.25-16 18PR 210 MPH, part number 348F83-2. The directive mandates the inspection and potential replacement of specific Goodyear Flight Eagle tyres to mitigate the risk of tread separation, which could cause significant structural damage to the aircraft. Compliance with this AD is required within 10 hours of time in service after 26 September 2001, unless the required actions have already been undertaken. The directive is applicable nationwide within the Australian jurisdiction, ensuring that all specified aircraft within the defined parameters adhere to the safety measures outlined in the AD.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) under consideration, specifically AD/G1159/40, pertains to the inspection and potential replacement of Goodyear Flight Eagle tyres on certain Gulfstream G1159 and G-IV series aeroplanes. The AD applies to Gulfstream GIV aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 1000 to 1213, excluding serial number 1183, as well as all serial numbers of Model GII, GIIB, and GIII aircraft. These aircraft must be equipped with Goodyear Flight Eagle tyres, specifically the 34x9.25-16 18PR 210 MPH tyres with part number 348F83-2 (section 11/2001DM). The requirement outlined in the AD is that all such tyres must be inspected to identify whether they fall within the serial number range of 0168xxxx through 0185xxxx. This inspection must adhere to the guidelines provided in Goodyear Service Bulletin GY SB 2001-32-006, dated 28 July 2001, and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Alert Customer Bulletins No.28 (GIV), No.28 (GII/GIIB), and No.14 (GIII), as applicable. Any affected tyre within the specified serial number range must be replaced before further flight. The AD imposes several obligations on the entities it governs. Primarily, it mandates that the specified Gulfstream aircraft be inspected to determine if the Goodyear Flight Eagle tyres fall within the identified serial number range. This inspection must be conducted in accordance with the referenced service bulletins and customer bulletins, ensuring that the procedures are followed correctly and comprehensively. Furthermore, if any tyre is found to be within the serial number range, it must be replaced before the aircraft is permitted to fly again. These obligations are designed to address safety concerns related to tyre tread separation, which could otherwise result in significant structural damage to the aircraft. Failure to comply with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive could lead to various civil and criminal consequences. The AD specifies that the compliance period for the tyre inspection and, if necessary, replacement is within 10 hours time in service after the AD became effective on 26 September 2001. If the requirements are not met within this timeframe, the aircraft may not be deemed airworthy, potentially resulting in operational restrictions or grounding of the aircraft. Additionally, non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, including fines or other penalties. The potential severity of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the AD to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of the aircraft in question.