Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. The legislation includes provisions that establish standards for aircraft airworthiness and maintenance, among other safety regulations. This particular legislative instrument, F2006B10333, is part of the 1998 Regulations and specifically targets the Aerospatiale GY 80 (Horizon) series of aeroplanes, addressing a safety concern related to the fuel system. The policy objective behind this amendment is to enhance flight safety by ensuring that pilots are clearly informed about the unavailability of the mid position on the fuel selector plate, thereby preventing potential operational errors that could compromise the aircraft's safety. This amendment mandates the modification of the fuel selector plate to include a clear placard stating "DO NOT USE MID POSITION" and requires compliance before a specified date to ensure all affected aircraft are updated to the new safety standard.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, specifically address the applicability of airworthiness directives through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) schedule, with AD/GY80/2 Amendment 1 targeting Aerospatiale GY 80 (Horizon) Series Aeroplanes. This directive applies universally to all models within this series, focusing on critical modifications to the fuel system. Specifically, it mandates the removal of the mid position on the fuel selector plate and its replacement with a placard stating "DO NOT USE MID POSITION", as detailed in the aircraft’s Flight Manual. Compliance with these directives is mandatory and must be achieved before 1 April 1976. The regulation ensures that all operations involving these aircraft adhere strictly to the specified modifications, thereby enhancing flight safety and preventing potential operational hazards associated with the mid position of the fuel selector. The directive underscores CASA’s commitment to stringent safety standards within the Australian aviation industry.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39 - 105 under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, addresses modifications required for the Aerospatiale GY 80 (Horizon) Series Aeroplanes. The relevant section, AD/GY80/2 Amendment 1, mandates a specific modification to the fuel system (Section 1/76). This requirement necessitates that the mid position on the fuel selector plate be blanked off and replaced with a placard stating, "DO NOT USE MID POSITION." This instruction should be followed as per the aeroplane's Flight Manual. The compliance deadline for these modifications was before 1 April 1976. Entities and parties governed by these regulations must ensure that all Aerospatiale GY 80 (Horizon) Series Aeroplanes adhere to the specified modifications. This involves physically altering the fuel selector plate by blanking off the mid position and affixing the prescribed placard. The compliance must be verified and documented, ensuring that no aeroplanes with the non-compliant fuel selector plate are operated post the deadline. The burden is on the operators and maintainers of these aeroplanes to ensure that such modifications are carried out meticulously and in adherence to the stipulated timeline. Failure to comply with the requirements outlined in Section 1/76 of AD/GY80/2 Amendment 1 could result in serious ramifications. While the specific penalties are not detailed within this excerpt, it is implicit that non-compliance with CASA directives can lead to severe consequences. These could include grounding of the aeroplanes until the modifications are completed, enforcement actions, and potential fines. The overarching principle is that the safety of aviation operations is paramount, and deviations from prescribed safety directives are taken very seriously by regulatory authorities.