AD/INST/37 - Altitude Preselector/Alerter

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, were enacted to ensure the safety and reliability of civil aviation within Australia. This legislation, overseen by the Australian Parliament, was introduced to fill the gap in ensuring that civil aircraft meet the necessary safety standards and to regulate the implementation of airworthiness directives that address specific safety concerns. One such directive is AD/INST/37, which targets the Collins PRE-80A and PRE-80B Altitude Preselector/Alerters used in various aircraft models such as the Falcon series, SAAB 340, BAe HS 125, and Embraer EMB120. The policy objective behind this directive is to mitigate the risk of altitude preselector malfunctions that could lead to the aircraft capturing an unintended altitude without providing an alert to the crew. The directive mandates modifications to the equipment and the inclusion of a specific warning in the Aircraft Flight Manual, ensuring that pilots are aware of the potential risks and can take appropriate action to monitor the aircraft’s altitude capture when transitioning between flight levels. Compliance with these directives is crucial to maintaining the highest safety standards in civil aviation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 107, encompasses the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's schedule of Airworthiness Directives, including AD/INST/37, which pertains to the Altitude Preselector/Alerter for Collins PRE-80A and PRE-80B systems. This directive applies to a range of aircraft types, including but not limited to Falcon 10, 20, 50, 200, SAAB 340, BAe HS 125-700, HS 125-800, and Embraer EMB120, which are fitted with the specified equipment. The directive requires modification of the Altitude Preselector/Alerter to adhere to Collins' Service Bulletin No 6 Revision 3 dated 24 October 1990 and mandates the inclusion of a specific warning in the Normal Operations Section of the Aircraft Flight Manual. Compliance with these requirements must be achieved before further flight following specified dates, 30 October 1992 for the modification and 30 May 1992 for the warning insertion. This regulation is applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia, with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority having jurisdiction over its enforcement.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, address the safety directives concerning the Collins PRE-80A and PRE-80B Altitude Preselector/Alerters, which are used in certain aircraft models such as the Falcon 10, 20, 50, 200, SAAB 340, BAe HS 125-700, HS 125-800, and Embraer EMB120. The primary directive, AD/INST/37, mandates that these altitude preselectors/alerters must be modified according to Collins PRE-80A/80B Service Bulletin No 6 Revision 3 dated 24 October 1990 (section 1). Furthermore, a specific warning must be inserted into the Normal Operations Section of the Aircraft Flight Manual until the modification is completed (section 2). The warning states that equipment malfunctions may result in the aircraft failing to capture the set altitude when the preselected flight level is reached, without triggering any visual or audio warnings. The obligations imposed by this legislation are clear. Operators of aircraft fitted with Collins PRE-80A or PRE-80B Altitude Preselector/Alerters must ensure that these devices are modified in line with the specified service bulletin. This modification is mandatory and must be carried out before the aircraft undertakes any further flights after 30 October 1992 (section 1). Additionally, the required warning must be incorporated into the Aircraft Flight Manual prior to any flight after 30 May 1992 (section 2). These obligations are critical to maintaining the safety of the aircraft and its passengers by mitigating the risk of altitude capture failures during flight transitions. Failure to comply with these directives can have significant consequences. Although the specific offences, penalties, or consequences for non-compliance are not detailed within the text of this directive, it is reasonable to infer that breaches of civil aviation safety regulations can lead to severe penalties under Australian law. Non-compliance with safety directives can result in both civil and criminal penalties, including substantial fines and potential imprisonment for individuals or corporations found guilty of violating these regulations. The exact penalties would depend on the specific nature and severity of the breach, but they could include enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which is responsible for ensuring compliance with these safety directives.