COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Gulfstream (Grumman American) GA-7 Series Aeroplanes
AD/GA-7/9 Rudder Torque Tube Corrosion and Cracking 1/86 T
Applicability: All models.
Requirement: Action in accordance with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp, SB No ME-21.
Compliance: Within 10 hours time in service after 04 December 1985 and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 100 hours time in service or at each issue of a new Maintenance Release.
Background: The manufacturer reports instances of corrosion and cracking in the rudder torque tube at the bellcrank area. In two aircraft the torque tube had cracked around the entire circumference of the tube.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, was enacted to address the safety concerns associated with specific aircraft components, ensuring that Australian aviation adheres to international safety standards. This legislative instrument, F2006B10153, was introduced to rectify the problem of rudder torque tube corrosion and cracking in the Gulfstream (Grumman American) GA-7 Series Aeroplanes, identified by the manufacturer. The regulations were enacted by the Australian Government and aim to mandate compliance with the manufacturer's service bulletin (SB No ME-21) to prevent potential structural failures and enhance the safety of air travel. The policy objective is to ensure that all applicable aircraft are maintained and inspected according to stringent safety directives, reducing the risk of catastrophic failures due to undetected corrosion and cracking.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as detailed in PART 39 - 105, pertains to all Gulfstream (Grumman American) GA-7 Series Aeroplanes. This regulation mandates compliance with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp's Service Bulletin No ME-21, which addresses issues of rudder torque tube corrosion and cracking, particularly at the bellcrank area. The requirement is for corrective action to be taken within 10 hours of time in service after 4 December 1985, and subsequently, at intervals not exceeding 100 hours of time in service or each time a new Maintenance Release is issued. This legislation applies nationally across the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring safety standards are uniformly enforced throughout the aviation industry. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in this specific Airworthiness Directive; all GA-7 Series Aeroplanes must adhere to the stipulated safety measures. The regulation's scope is comprehensive, leaving no room for deviation, thereby ensuring the continued airworthiness of the affected aircraft.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, provide detailed guidance on the airworthiness of aircraft, including the requirement for compliance with Airworthiness Directives (ADs). For the Gulfstream (Grumman American) GA-7 Series Aeroplanes, AD/GA-7/9 (paragraph 1/86) addresses rudder torque tube corrosion and cracking. This AD applies to all models of the GA-7 series (section 1). The requirement under this AD is to follow the Gulfstream Aerospace Corp Service Bulletin No ME-21, which outlines specific actions to be taken regarding the rudder torque tube's condition (section 1). Compliance with this directive must occur within 10 hours of time in service after 4 December 1985, and subsequently, at intervals not exceeding 100 hours of time in service or with each new Maintenance Release (section 1). The directive was issued due to reported cases of corrosion and cracking in the rudder torque tube at the bellcrank area, with instances where the torque tube had cracked entirely around its circumference (section 1).
Entities and individuals responsible for maintaining the airworthiness of Gulfstream GA-7 Series Aeroplanes must ensure they adhere to the provisions of AD/GA-7/9. This involves conducting inspections and necessary repairs or replacements of the rudder torque tube as specified in Gulfstream Aerospace Corp Service Bulletin No ME-21. Maintenance personnel must be properly trained and certified to carry out these inspections and repairs, ensuring that all work complies with the manufacturer's guidelines and the regulations outlined in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, which could lead to grounding and other regulatory actions.
Failure to comply with the AD/GA-7/9 could result in significant civil or criminal penalties. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to fines and imprisonment. Specifically, under section 61 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, a person who contravenes an airworthiness directive can be subject to a fine of up to $206,000 for a corporation and up to $41,200 for an individual, as well as imprisonment for up to five years. Furthermore, the operator of an aircraft that is found to be unairworthy due to non-compliance with airworthiness directives can face severe penalties, including the potential for criminal charges if the non-compliance results in an accident or incident. These stringent penalties underscore the importance of strict adherence to the ADs as outlined in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.