COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Aircraft - General
AD/GENERAL/60
Amdt 1
Flight Crew Compartment Seats - Safety Harness - Modification
7/99
Applicability: Aircraft with a maximum take-off weight greater than 5700 kg of a type for which an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness in the Transport Category was first granted after 1 January 1958.
Requirement: Modify flight crew compartment seats to comply with the improved safety standard below:
- Each seat of a flight crew compartment must be fitted with an approved symmetric safety harness that permits the occupant, when seated with safety harness fastened, to perform all the necessary flight functions to be performed from that seat. Symmetric safety harnesses and three-point (lap/sash) harnesses approved and installed before 6 March 1980 may continue in service.
2. There must be a means of securing the safety harness when not in use, to prevent interference with the operation of the aeroplane and with rapid egress in an emergency.
Compliance: This Amendment becomes effective on 15 July 1999.
Background: Approved safety harnesses are already required at each flight crew seat. The requirement is being extended to include observers and non-required cockpit personnel who could, if not properly restrained in an emergency, interfere with flight crew operation.
Amendment 1 is issued to remove reference to CAO 108.42, which will permit other approved harnesses to be installed.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 31 December 1984.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, mandate safety standards for aircraft, with a focus on flight crew compartment seats. The AD/GENERAL/60 Amendment 1, effective from 7 July 1999, addresses safety issues by requiring all aircraft with a maximum take-off weight over 5700 kg, certified post-1 January 1958, to equip their flight crew compartment seats with approved safety harnesses. This amendment extends the requirement to include observers and non-required cockpit personnel, ensuring their proper restraint to avoid interference during flight operations. The policy objective is to enhance flight safety by mandating that each seat is fitted with a harness that permits the occupant to perform all necessary flight functions while seated, thereby reducing the risk of interference and ensuring rapid egress in an emergency. This legislative instrument was enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, aiming to bridge safety gaps identified in previous regulations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 concerning the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, encompasses a crucial aspect of aviation safety in Australia. This particular Airworthiness Directive applies to aircraft with a maximum take-off weight exceeding 5700 kg that received an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness in the Transport Category after 1 January 1958. The requirement outlined in Amendment 1, which became effective on 15 July 1999, mandates the modification of flight crew compartment seats to include an approved symmetric safety harness. This ensures that occupants can perform all necessary flight functions while seated, and it extends the safety harness requirement to observers and non-required cockpit personnel to prevent any interference during an emergency. Although symmetric safety harnesses and three-point harnesses installed before 6 March 1980 may remain in service, the directive enforces that a means must be provided to secure the harness when not in use to avoid any obstruction or delay in rapid egress during an emergency. This legislation extends the application of safety standards to all relevant aircraft within the specified parameters, ensuring consistent safety practices across the industry.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 and specifically Airworthiness Directive AD/GENERAL/60 Amendment 1, mandates the modification of flight crew compartment seats for aircraft with a maximum take-off weight greater than 5,700 kg that were first granted an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness in the Transport Category after 1 January 1958. The directive requires that each seat in the flight crew compartment be fitted with an approved symmetric safety harness (Section 1). This harness must allow the occupant, when seated and secured, to perform all necessary flight functions. The directive allows the continued use of symmetric safety harnesses and three-point (lap/sash) harnesses that were approved and installed before 6 March 1980. However, there must be a means of securing the safety harness when it is not in use, to prevent any interference with the aeroplane's operation and to facilitate rapid egress in an emergency (Section 2).
Entities governed by this Act, particularly those operating the specified aircraft, are obligated to ensure that the flight crew compartment seats are modified to comply with the requirements of AD/GENERAL/60 Amendment 1. This includes fitting the seats with the specified safety harnesses and implementing a secure method for storing these harnesses when not in use. Operators must verify that the harnesses permit the flight crew to perform all necessary functions safely and without obstruction. Additionally, operators must ensure that the harnesses do not interfere with the aircraft's operation or impede emergency egress.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this Airworthiness Directive can result in serious safety implications. Although the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed within the text, it is reasonable to infer that violations could lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions may include fines, operational restrictions, or more severe penalties depending on the nature and impact of the non-compliance. The overarching aim of these measures is to ensure the safety of flight crew and the overall airworthiness of the aircraft.