COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Aircraft - General
AD/GENERAL/73 Access to Type III Exits 11/92
Applicability: All passenger carrying aeroplanes for which a Type Certificate in the Transport Category was first issued (whether in Australia or elsewhere) on, or after 1 January 1958, and which are fitted with Type III emergency exits.
Requirement: At each Type III exit, install placards that:-
(i) can be read by all persons who are seated adjacent to and are facing a passageway to the exit;
(ii) accurately state or illustrate the correct method of opening the exit, including the use of handholds; and
(iii) if the exit is a removable hatch, state the weight of the hatch and indicate an appropriate location to place the hatch after removal.
2. For each aeroplane that has a passenger seating configuration of 60 or more, provide access to each Type III exit:
(i) in accordance with FAR 25.813(c)(1) at amendment 25-76 effective 3 June 1992 or later, or
(ii) to alternative configuration acceptable to the Authority which provides an equivalent level of safety.
Note: Some applicable aircraft have special circumstances for which a literal compliance with this directive is impractical. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- emergency exits located in close proximity to each other;
- fixed installations such as toilets and galleys;
- permanently mounted bulkheads;
- an insufficient number of rows ahead of or behind the exit.
Where such circumstances would preclude compliance with Part 2 of this directive without;
(i) a reduction in the total number of passenger seats,
(ii) a reduction in seat pitch of more than 25 mm (1 inch), or
(iii) a reduction of seat pitch to less that 760 mm (30 inches), a variation to this directive would be acceptable.
The applicant must furnish credible reasons why literal compliance is impractical and a description of the steps taken to achieve a level of safety as close to that intended by this directive as practical.
Compliance: Before 15 October 1993.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Background: Investigation of several major overseas accidents have indicated a need for improved access to Type III exits (normally overwing). In April 1991, the FAA issued a proposal to require improved access to Type III exits in aeroplanes that had been Type certificated since January 1958. After consideration of responses (including input from Australia), the FAA issued an amendment to FAR 25 as well as amendments to FARs 121 and 135 which required all applicable aircraft to meet the requirements of FAR 25.813(c) by 3 December 1992. This Directive is issued to ensure that passengers in Australian aircraft are provided the same level of safety in an emergency situation.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, includes a provision under Part 39 - 105 that addresses the safety of passenger-carrying aeroplanes, particularly regarding access to Type III emergency exits. The regulation was introduced to address the problem identified from investigations of several major overseas accidents that highlighted the necessity for improved access to overwing emergency exits. The policy objective of this directive is to ensure that passengers in Australian aircraft receive the same level of safety in emergency situations as those stipulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, which had issued similar requirements in April 1991. This directive mandates that aircraft, certified for transport use on or after 1 January 1958 and equipped with Type III emergency exits, must comply with specific placarding requirements and access provisions to enhance safety during evacuations. Compliance with these directives is crucial to maintaining safety standards in civil aviation, particularly in ensuring that passengers can readily and safely access emergency exits in the event of an emergency.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105, mandates the installation of placards at each Type III emergency exit on passenger carrying aeroplanes that hold a Transport Category Type Certificate issued on or after 1 January 1958. These placards must be legible to passengers seated adjacent to the exit and must clearly illustrate the correct method of opening the exit, including the use of handholds. If the exit is a removable hatch, the placard must indicate the hatch's weight and suggest a suitable location for its placement after removal. Additionally, aeroplanes with a passenger seating configuration of 60 or more must ensure access to each Type III exit is compliant with either FAR 25.813(c)(1) at amendment 25-76, effective from 3 June 1992, or an alternative configuration approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that maintains an equivalent safety level. In cases where literal compliance with the directive is impractical due to factors such as proximity of exits, fixed installations, or insufficient rows of seats, variations are permissible provided certain conditions are met, such as not reducing the total number of passenger seats, seat pitch by more than 25 mm (1 inch), or below 760 mm (30 inches). Compliance with these directives must be achieved before 15 October 1993.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105 and AD/GENERAL/73, address the crucial safety requirement of ensuring access to Type III exits on passenger-carrying aeroplanes. These aeroplanes must be those that were first issued with a Transport Category Type Certificate on or after 1 January 1958 and are equipped with Type III emergency exits (paragraph 1). The primary requirement is the installation of placards at each Type III exit that are readable by all passengers facing a passageway to the exit (1(i)). These placards must accurately describe or illustrate the method of opening the exit, including the use of handholds (1(ii)). If the exit is a removable hatch, the placard must also state the weight of the hatch and suggest a suitable location to place it after removal (1(iii)).
Further, for aeroplanes with a seating configuration of 60 or more passengers, access to each Type III exit must comply with FAR 25.813(c)(1) at amendment 25-76, effective 3 June 1992, or later, or to an alternative configuration that meets the same safety standards (paragraph 2). The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) will accept alternative configurations that provide an equivalent level of safety. However, if literal compliance with the directive is impractical, such as in cases of emergency exits being too close together or in the presence of fixed installations, a variation can be applied. This variation would need to avoid reducing the total number of passenger seats, reducing seat pitch by more than 25 mm (1 inch), or reducing seat pitch below 760 mm (30 inches). Any applicant for such a variation must provide credible reasons for the impracticality of literal compliance and a description of the steps taken to achieve the intended safety level (paragraph 2).
Non-compliance with the requirements of AD/GENERAL/73 may result in significant civil or criminal consequences. The maximum penalties for breaches of these regulations are outlined in the Civil Aviation Act 1988. Civil penalties can include fines of up to $22,200 for individuals and substantially higher amounts for corporations, depending on the severity and impact of the non-compliance. Additionally, criminal penalties may apply, with potential imprisonment for serious breaches, reflecting the critical importance of ensuring passenger safety in emergency situations. These stringent measures underscore the importance of adhering to the safety directives to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of passengers on board.