COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
GAF N22 and N24 Series Aeroplanes
AD/GAF-N22/50
Amdt 2
Fin Attachment Fittings 11/89
Applicability: All Nomad N22 and N24 series aeroplanes which do not incorporate modification N602 together with either modification N600A or N600B.
Requirement: 1. Action in accordance with ASTA Alert Service Bulletin ANMD-55-23, dated 27 June 1989.
2. Action in accordance with GAF Service Bulletin NMD-53-5 and GAF Service Bulletin NMD-55-21.
Note: Compliance with Requirement 2 constitutes terminating action for Requirement 1.
Compliance: 1. Not later than the first issue of a Maintenance Release after 30 November 1989, unless Requirement 2 has been accomplished.
2. Before exceeding 3000 hours component time in service.
Background: The original retirement life of 3000 hours was promulgated based on fatigue analysis. Recent service experience of pre-mod N331 aircraft has revealed that the original bolt P/N 2/N-00-43 may be susceptible to cracking before reaching 3000 hours component time in service. This Amendment calls up a bolt replacement as an interim alternative to incorporating modification N600A or N600B.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, were established to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within the country. A specific legislative instrument under this Act, F2006B10198, pertains to the airworthiness directives for the GAF N22 and N24 series aeroplanes. This legislative instrument aims to address the issue of potential cracking of a specific bolt, P/N 2/N-00-43, in these aircraft models before reaching the originally set retirement life of 3000 hours. The policy objective is to enhance the safety of these aeroplanes by mandating the replacement of the bolt or the implementation of certain modifications to prevent such failures. The directive requires compliance with specified service bulletins and actions to be taken within a stipulated timeframe to ensure the continued airworthiness of the aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, addresses the safety directives for GAF N22 and N24 series aeroplanes through the Airworthiness Directive (AD) GAF-N22/50 Amendment 2. This directive applies to all Nomad N22 and N24 series aeroplanes that do not incorporate modification N602 in conjunction with either modification N600A or N600B. The directive mandates compliance with specific service bulletins to ensure safety standards are met. Firstly, compliance must be achieved in accordance with the ASTA Alert Service Bulletin ANMD-55-23, dated 27 June 1989. Secondly, compliance must be achieved in accordance with GAF Service Bulletins NMD-53-5 and NMD-55-21, with compliance to the latter constituting terminating action for the former. Operators must ensure that these actions are completed either by the first maintenance release issued after 30 November 1989 or before the aeroplane's components exceed 3000 hours of time in service, whichever comes first. This directive is integral to maintaining the airworthiness of the specified aircraft and ensuring ongoing safety within Australian airspace.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Section 105, address the airworthiness directives for the GAF N22 and N24 series aeroplanes through the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (AD). Section AD/GAF-N22/50 Amendment 2, concerning fin attachment fittings, mandates compliance for all Nomad N22 and N24 series aeroplanes that have not incorporated modifications N600A or N600B alongside modification N602. The requirement set forth in this directive is twofold. Firstly, operators must adhere to the actions specified in ASTA Alert Service Bulletin ANMD-55-23, dated 27 June 1989. Secondly, they must comply with the actions outlined in GAF Service Bulletins NMD-53-5 and NMD-55-21. It is important to note that compliance with the second requirement automatically fulfils the first requirement. Operators must ensure these actions are completed not later than the first issue of a Maintenance Release after 30 November 1989, or before the aeroplane's components reach 3000 hours of service time, whichever comes first.
The obligations imposed by these regulations are clear. Operators of the specified aeroplanes must conduct the necessary actions to ensure compliance with the service bulletins mentioned. This involves replacing or modifying certain fin attachment fittings to mitigate the risk of cracking in bolts, particularly the original bolt P/N 2/N-00-43. The directive is underpinned by fatigue analysis and service experience, which have indicated potential issues with the original bolt design before reaching the 3000-hour service life threshold. As such, operators are required to perform these modifications or replacements within the stipulated timeframes to maintain the airworthiness of their aircraft.
Failure to comply with these airworthiness directives can result in severe consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly detail the penalties for non-compliance in this section, but generally, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions can include fines, suspension or revocation of operating certificates, and potential criminal charges for individuals found responsible for non-compliance. The severity of the penalties depends on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, as well as any resultant safety risks posed to aviation operations. Ensuring adherence to these directives is therefore crucial for maintaining the safety standards mandated by Australian aviation law.