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 369/97 Overrunning Clutch Assembly 14/98
DM
Applicability: Model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, AH-6 and MH-6 helicopters fitted with overrunning clutch assembly, part number (PN) 369F5450-501
Requirement: Visually inspect the overrunning clutch retainer, P/N 269F5460-1, carrier, P/N 369F5461-1, housing, P/N 369F545-1, and pin, P/N MS16556-801, for clutch or carrier wear or pin damage in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions in McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Service Information Notice No. DN-190, EN-83, FN- 70, NN-011, dated 25 July 1997.
Note: FAA AD 98-21-12 refers.
Compliance: From the effective date of this AD:
- For clutch assemblies having less than 100 hours Time-in-Service (TIS), conduct the visual inspection before or upon reaching 100 hours TIS.
b. For clutch assemblies with having 100 or more hours TIS, conduct the visual inspection within 25 hours TIS.
c. Repeat the requirement at intervals not exceeding 100 hours TIS.
Note: For the purpose of this Directive, TIS is the time in service since new or last overhaul.
d. If at any time the required inspections reveal wear or damage to components, replace those components with airworthy components prior to further flight.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 4 November 1998.
Background: A visual inspection is required for the components specified in the requirement section of this AD. An operator in the USA had experienced inflight vibrations and subsequent inspection found wear of the bearing retainer and outer race of the bearing. Inspections of three other overrunning clutches with the same P/N also indicated spinning of the retainer. This condition, if not corrected, could ultimately lead to loss of power to the rotor drive system.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, establishes the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives. One such directive, AD/HU 369/97, was enacted in 1998 to address safety concerns regarding the overrunning clutch assembly in specific McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters. The problem this directive was introduced to address was the risk of inflight vibrations and potential loss of power to the rotor drive system due to wear or damage to the overrunning clutch components. The policy objective is to ensure the safety of these aircraft by mandating regular visual inspections and timely replacements of any worn or damaged components, thus maintaining airworthiness and preventing accidents. This legislative instrument was introduced by the Commonwealth of Australia and became effective on 4 November 1998.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 concerning the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to all operators of McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters including the models 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, AH-6, and MH-6, that are fitted with an overrunning clutch assembly bearing the specified part numbers. The regulatory framework, established under the Commonwealth of Australia, mandates visual inspections of certain clutch components to ensure airworthiness. The directive applies to all helicopters within the mentioned series, irrespective of the location of operation within Australia, thus encompassing both state and territory jurisdictions. The requirement extends to any helicopter meeting the specified criteria, ensuring that all operators adhere to the stipulated inspection intervals and replacement protocols to maintain safety standards. Any deviations or exemptions from these requirements are not indicated within the text, suggesting that compliance is mandatory for the specified aircraft and components.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, contains the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) schedule of airworthiness directives (ADs) for various aircraft. One such directive, AD/HU 369/97, pertains to McDonnell Douglas (Hughes) and Kawasaki 369 Series Helicopters. The directive, dated 14 July 1998, concerns the overrunning clutch assembly (sections 1 and 2). Operators of model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, AH-6 and MH-6 helicopters fitted with the specified overrunning clutch assembly must conduct a visual inspection of the overrunning clutch retainer, carrier, housing, and pin for any wear or damage (section 3). This inspection must follow the Accomplishment Instructions in McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Service Information Notice No. DN-190, EN-83, FN- 70, NN-011, dated 25 July 1997.
Operators are required to conduct these inspections based on the Time-in-Service (TIS) of the clutch assemblies. For clutch assemblies with less than 100 hours TIS, the inspection must be conducted before or upon reaching 100 hours TIS (section 4(a)). For assemblies with 100 or more hours TIS, the inspection must be conducted within 25 hours TIS (section 4(b)). These inspections must be repeated at intervals not exceeding 100 hours TIS (section 4(c)). If any wear or damage is found during these inspections, the affected components must be replaced with airworthy components before further flight (section 4(d)). This directive became effective on 4 November 1998.
The AD imposes specific obligations on the operators of the mentioned helicopters. They must ensure that the required visual inspections are conducted in a timely manner and follow the specified procedures. Furthermore, they must replace any components found to be worn or damaged during these inspections. Non-compliance with this directive could result in serious safety risks, including potential loss of power to the rotor drive system, which could lead to inflight vibrations and other dangerous conditions.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this airworthiness directive could lead to civil or criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not outlined in the text, breaches of civil aviation regulations can result in significant fines and potential prosecution. The severity of the penalties would depend on the nature and extent of the breach, as well as any resulting harm or safety risks. Operators are therefore required to adhere strictly to the provisions of this directive to ensure the continued airworthiness of their aircraft.