AD/HS 748/23 - Aileron Operating Arm Bracket

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended through the legislative instrument F2006B10558, introduce specific airworthiness directives aimed at maintaining the safety standards of civil aviation within Australia. This particular directive, AD/HS 748/23, pertains to British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 Series Aeroplanes, specifically addressing issues with the aileron operating arm bracket. The directive was enacted to address the problem of cracks found in the forward flanges of the aileron operating arm bracket assembly, which poses a significant risk to the aircraft's operational safety. The Australian Government, through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, established this directive to ensure compliance with safety standards, thereby protecting both the aircraft and its passengers. The policy objective is to mandate specific actions to be taken in accordance with the Jetstream Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin HS748-27-124, ensuring the continued airworthiness of these aircraft.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105, issues airworthiness directives to ensure the safety of civil aviation. The directive AD/HS 748/23 pertains to the British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 Series Aeroplanes, requiring actions to address cracks found in the forward flanges of the aileron operating arm bracket assembly. This directive applies to all HS 748 aircraft and requires compliance with the specified mandatory service bulletin HS748-27- 124, referencing UK Civil Aviation Authority AD 007-11-95. Compliance must be achieved within 1,000 flying hours or six months from the directive's effective date of 23 April 1998, whichever comes first, and then as per the detailed requirements in the service bulletin. The scope of this legislation is national, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia, and it does not include any specified exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds. The directive's implementation may be extended or further defined through subordinate instruments as necessary.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, establish the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for various aircraft, including the British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 Series Aeroplanes. Specifically, AD/HS 748/23 pertains to the aileron operating arm bracket. The directive applies to all HS 748 aircraft (section 39-105). The primary requirement of this directive is to perform actions in accordance with Jetstream Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin HS748-27-124, which addresses cracks found in the forward flanges of the aileron operating arm bracket assembly. This directive references UK CAA AD 007-11-95 for further details. Compliance with this directive mandates that operators of HS 748 aircraft conduct inspections and take corrective action. If the initial inspection has not already been accomplished, it must be performed within 1,000 flying hours or 6 months after the directive's effective date of 23 April 1998, whichever comes first. Subsequent inspections and actions must follow the specifications outlined in the requirement document (section 39-105). Operators are thus obliged to ensure timely and thorough compliance to maintain the airworthiness of their aircraft. Failure to comply with the AD/HS 748/23 directive can lead to serious consequences. Non-compliance may result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, which could lead to enforcement actions by CASA. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the directive, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally can lead to both civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties may include fines, while criminal penalties could result in imprisonment, reflecting the critical nature of adhering to safety regulations in aviation. The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the non-compliance and any resulting harm or risk to safety.