COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Aircraft - General
AD/GENERAL/49
Amdt 3
TKK Altimeter Mechanisms Incorporated in Altimeters of Various Brand
Names - Modification
7/75
Applicability: All aircraft fitted with altimeters as detailed in the requirement.
Requirement: 1. Altimeters Affected :- T.K.K. P/N LA40-1 serial nos. 1091 to 1183; LA40-1A serial nos. 1028-1108; LA42-1A (WE 1067-1) serial nos. 1118 to 1297; LA42-1A
(WE 1067-3) serial nos. 1001 to 1018; LA44-1 serial nos. 61150 to 61157, 61379
to 61391, 61547-61563; LA45-1 serial nos. 1003 to 1019, 61158 to 61173;
LA71-11 serial nos. 1001 to 1078, 74187 to 74193, 74195 to 74204, 74206 to
74211, 74213 to 74216, 90961 to 90990; LA71-11A serial nos. 1001 to 1093;
LA72-11 serial nos. 1001 to 1059, 73369 to 73443, 90891 to 90940, 90941 to
90960. - UNITED INSTRUMENTS P/N 5932-() serial nos. 47851 to 69000;
5934-() serial nos. 70000 to 102000, A1 to A9999, B1 to B9999, and C1 to C2860;
Note 1: United Instruments P/N 5932 ( ) Altimeters may be additionally identified as
T.K.K. model LA4 T.S.O. C-10b; - United Instruments P/N 5934 ( ) Altimeters may be additional identified as T.K.K. Model LA7 T.S.O. C-10b;
Note 2: United Instruments Altimeters may also be identified by various aircraft manufacturers part numbers. Some but not all are:
- Beech P/N 50-380094-( ), 50-384119-( ), 58-380011-( ), 58-380012-( ),
58-380041-( ), 100-324056-( ), 169-380073-( ). - Cessna P/N C661011-( ),
C661071-( ), C661025- ( ), C661014-( ). - Piper P/N 99009-( ), 450-611( ), 450-694-( ), PS50008-( )-( ), 550-488-( ), 550-489-( ), 550-490-( ), 555-491-( ),
559-492-( ), 550-493-( ), 322-81-03, 322-81-04. - Bell 206-070-263- ( ),
47-711-303-( ).
INSTRUMENT AND FLIGHT RESEARCH P/N IFR-41 Serial Nos. 400 to 1939. AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENT AND DEVELOPMENT P/N 13-2100-1; 13-2100-2;
13-2000-4; 13-2000-5, 350-303, 350-304 except that altimeters with “Aerosonic”, “Kollsman” or “Conn” imprinted on the case are not applicable.
2. Remove the four “plastic film bearings” bonded to the mechanism assembly and
2.1 Add lubrication and a 6 mm or 1/4 inch white dot adjacent to the nameplate in accordance with the requirements of T.K.K. Service Bulletin
SB-74-004-TKK, or SB-74-005-TKK or United Instruments Service Bulletin No. 1 as applicable; or
2.2 Install new top plate assembly and add the letter “A” in accordance with the requirements of TKK Service Bulletin SB-74-007-TKK.
Compliance: 1. For aircraft fitted with a single altimeter - before planned IFR operations (including night VMC operations) after 30 September 1975.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
2. For aircraft other than above - before 31 March 1976.
Note: Aircraft complying with any of the preceding issues of this directive satisfy compliance with this issue of the directive.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES AD/GENERAL/49 Amendment 3, was enacted to address the safety concerns associated with the altimeter mechanisms of various aircraft models. This legislative instrument was introduced to ensure that specific altimeters in certain aircraft are modified to prevent potential failures that could compromise flight safety. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, under the authority granted by the Civil Aviation Act 1988, established this directive to mandate modifications to the altimeter mechanisms of particular brands and models to mitigate risks associated with plastic film bearings. The policy objective is to enhance the overall safety of civil aviation by ensuring that these altimeters are maintained to a standard that prevents failure during critical flight operations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the airworthiness directives for aircraft, with AD/GENERAL/49 Amendment 3 focusing on the modification of TKK Altimeter Mechanisms incorporated in altimeters of various brands. This regulation applies to all aircraft fitted with specific altimeters as outlined in the requirement, including those with serial numbers and part numbers such as T.K.K. P/N LA40-1, LA40-1A, LA42-1A, and others. The directive mandates the removal of certain plastic film bearings and the addition of lubrication, a 6 mm white dot, or a new top plate assembly, depending on the altimeter model, in accordance with specified service bulletins. Compliance with this directive is required for aircraft fitted with a single altimeter before planned IFR operations after 30 September 1975, and for other aircraft before 31 March 1976. Aircraft that have already complied with previous issues of this directive are deemed to satisfy the current requirements. The regulation's scope is confined to the specified altimeters and modifications, and does not extend to altimeters with "Aerosonic", "Kollsman" or "Conn" imprinted on the case.
Key Provisions
The key provisions of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105 and the Airworthiness Directives, include the requirements for the modification of certain altimeter mechanisms. Section AD/GENERAL/49 Amendment 3 applies to all aircraft fitted with specific altimeters, such as those manufactured by T.K.K. and United Instruments (sections 1 and 2). The directive mandates the removal of four plastic film bearings from the mechanism assembly and requires either the addition of lubrication and a 6 mm or 1/4 inch white dot, in accordance with T.K.K. Service Bulletin SB-74-004-TKK or SB-74-005-TKK, or United Instruments Service Bulletin No. 1, or the installation of a new top plate assembly with the addition of the letter 'A' as per T.K.K. Service Bulletin SB-74-007-TKK. Compliance deadlines are set at before planned Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations, including night Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) operations, for aircraft with a single altimeter, after 30 September 1975, and before 31 March 1976 for all other aircraft.
The obligations imposed by this legislation on the relevant parties include the timely modification of the specified altimeters to meet the safety standards outlined in the directive. Aircraft operators must ensure that the altimeters are either modified in line with T.K.K. or United Instruments service bulletins, or replaced as per the directive, to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. This is crucial for ensuring the safety of flights, particularly those conducted under IFR. Furthermore, aircraft operators must ensure compliance by the stipulated deadlines, which vary depending on the number of altimeters on the aircraft. The directive also allows for compliance if the aircraft has already met the requirements of any previous issues of this directive.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this directive can result in significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance with airworthiness directives, but non-compliance generally results in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy. This can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), including the grounding of the aircraft until the required modifications are made. While specific monetary penalties are not outlined in the directive, the broader civil and criminal consequences of operating an unairworthy aircraft can include fines and potential imprisonment for the operators and responsible individuals. The severity of the penalties can depend on the circumstances of the non-compliance and any resulting safety incidents.