Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, are the foundational regulations governing aviation safety across the country. This legislation was introduced to establish and maintain high standards of safety in civil aviation, aiming to prevent accidents and incidents that could lead to loss of life or property. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), a delegate of the Commonwealth, issues Airworthiness Directives (ADs) under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 to ensure the continued airworthiness of aircraft. Specifically, AD/HS 748/29, issued on 6 June 2002, addresses the risk of unsafe assembly of the nose landing gear in British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 Series Aeroplanes. This directive mandates corrective action to prevent potential gear jamming or collapse, thereby enhancing the overall safety of these aircraft. The AD became effective on 13 June 2002 and required compliance by 31 July 2005, aiming to mitigate risks identified through operational experience.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, section 105, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) establish the scope and requirements for Airworthiness Directives (ADs) which apply to specific aircraft or aeronautical products identified as needing safety corrections. The AD in question, AD/HS 748/29, specifically applies to all British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 series aeroplanes. It mandates corrective action to address an identified unsafe condition concerning the nose landing gear, as detailed in BAE Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin HS748-32-104, to prevent issues such as the pintle pin becoming unlocked and causing potential gear jamming or collapse. Compliance with this AD must occur at the next scheduled nose landing gear removal after 13 June 2002 or before 31 July 2005, whichever comes first. The AD became effective on 13 June 2002 and was gazetted on 22 May 2002, thereby extending its regulatory reach throughout the Commonwealth of Australia.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) pertains specifically to the British Aerospace (Hawker Siddeley) HS 748 Series Aeroplanes, particularly addressing issues with the nose landing gear (section 1). This directive, denoted as AD/HS 748/29, mandates that all HS748 series aircraft must follow the instructions set out in BAE Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin HS748-32-104 to ensure the safe and correct assembly of the nose landing gear. The directive becomes effective from 13 June 2002, and it applies to all HS748 series aircraft. In terms of the requirements, the AD stipulates that corrective action must be taken during the next scheduled nose landing gear removal, which must occur either after 13 June 2002 or before 31 July 2005, whichever comes first (section 2). The corrective action involves implementing the procedures outlined in the BAE Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin HS748-32-104 to prevent potential issues such as the pintle pin being unlocked and subsequently migrating from its housing, which could lead to serious consequences like gear jamming or collapse. The directive emphasises the importance of the additional baulking device to ensure the pintle pin is correctly installed. The obligations under this AD fall primarily on the operators and maintainers of HS748 series aircraft. They must ensure that the required actions are carried out in accordance with the specified timeframe and the instructions provided in the BAE Systems Mandatory Service Bulletin. This involves conducting the necessary inspections and maintenance during the scheduled nose landing gear removal, following the detailed procedures to prevent unsafe conditions. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in significant safety risks for the aircraft in question. The consequences of non-compliance with this Airworthiness Directive can be severe. While the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state penalties for breaching an AD, failure to comply with such directives can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This can include the imposition of fines, enforcement notices, or even the grounding of the aircraft until the required actions are completed. Such actions are taken to ensure that the safety standards mandated by the AD are upheld, thereby maintaining the airworthiness of the aircraft and ensuring the safety of all persons onboard.