COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters
AD/HU 369/87 Fuel Vent System 2/94
Applicability: Model 369D, 369E S/N 0001E through 0508E, 369F S/N 0003 through 0091, 369FF S/N 0003 through 0091 and 369H series helicopters equipped with fuel vent line emergency shut-off valve assemblies P/N 369H8108, 369H8108-501 or 369H8108- 503.
Requirement: Action in accordance with McDonnell Douglas SIN HN-234.1, DN-181.1, EN-73.12 or FN-60.1, as applicable.
Note: FAA AD 93-18-05 Amdt 39-8690 refers.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement Document.
Background: The manufacturer has advised that it is possible for the emergency shutoff valve to obstruct the aircraft fuel vent line resulting in erroneous fuel level indications.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, includes an airworthiness directive concerning the fuel vent system of McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters. Enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, this legislation aims to address the problem of emergency shut-off valves potentially obstructing the fuel vent line, leading to inaccurate fuel level readings. This issue was brought to attention by the manufacturer, necessitating corrective actions as outlined in the relevant McDonnell Douglas Service Instructions. The policy objective is to enhance aviation safety by ensuring that fuel systems operate correctly and reliably, thereby reducing the risk of accidents due to erroneous fuel level indications.
The directive applies to specific models and serial numbers of the 369 series helicopters and mandates compliance with the manufacturer's service instructions, which provide the necessary actions to rectify the problem. The regulation was designed to align with the Federal Aviation Administration's Advisory Directive AD 93-18-05 Amendment 39-8690, ensuring consistency with international safety standards. The overarching aim is to maintain the airworthiness of the affected aircraft and ensure that operators adhere to the stipulated requirements to prevent any adverse safety outcomes.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, pertains specifically to the safety of airworthiness directives for certain McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters. This regulation applies to models 369D, 369E with serial numbers ranging from 0001E to 0508E, 369F with serial numbers from 0003 to 0091, 369FF with serial numbers from 0003 to 0091, and 369H series helicopters equipped with specific fuel vent line emergency shut-off valve assemblies. The regulation mandates compliance with McDonnell Douglas Service Instructions as detailed in the applicable documents, ensuring that any issues with the emergency shut-off valve obstructing the fuel vent line, which can lead to erroneous fuel level indications, are addressed. The regulation extends to all relevant helicopters operating within the Commonwealth of Australia, thereby ensuring a standardised approach to maintaining airworthiness across the country. There are no exclusions or exemptions mentioned within the text, and compliance is governed by adherence to the specified requirement documents.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, mandate the implementation of Airworthiness Directives (AD) for certain aircraft models to ensure safety. Section AD/HU 369/87 pertains to McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters, particularly those equipped with specific fuel vent line emergency shut-off valve assemblies. The directive is applicable to Model 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, and 369H series helicopters within certain serial number ranges, specifically S/N 0001E through 0508E, 0003 through 0091, and 0003 through 0091, respectively.
The requirement outlined in this section is for compliance with specific Service Information Notices (SIN) issued by McDonnell Douglas, namely HN-234.1, DN-181.1, EN-73.12, or FN-60.1, depending on the applicable model. These notices detail the actions necessary to rectify the potential issue of the emergency shut-off valve obstructing the fuel vent line, which can lead to erroneous fuel level indications. The directive references FAA AD 93-18-05 Amendment 39-8690 for additional guidance. Compliance must be achieved as specified in the Requirement Document, ensuring that the corrective actions are correctly implemented.
The obligations imposed by this legislation are significant for operators of the specified helicopters. They must adhere strictly to the Service Information Notices provided by McDonnell Douglas to address the identified safety issue. This includes conducting necessary inspections, maintenance, and modifications to the fuel vent line emergency shut-off valve assemblies to prevent any obstruction that could lead to erroneous fuel level readings. Operators must ensure that all actions are in line with the detailed requirements of the directive to maintain the airworthiness of their aircraft.
Failure to comply with these provisions can result in serious consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Regulations, non-compliance with an Airworthiness Directive can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Potential outcomes include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and other regulatory penalties. The maximum penalties for non-compliance can be substantial, reflecting the critical nature of the safety issue addressed by the directive. Therefore, operators must prioritise timely and accurate compliance to avoid these adverse outcomes.