Overview

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) addresses safety concerns associated with Rockwell Collins, Inc. Model FMC-4200, FMC-5000 and FMC-6000 Flight Management Computers (FMC) installed in various aircraft models. Enacted in 2002, this legislative instrument aims to rectify a significant safety issue where the FMC units could retain and display incorrect altitude constraints when edits were made to a flight plan, potentially leading to unsafe flight conditions. The directive mandates the removal and replacement of specific FMC units with modified or new units, ensuring that all replacements are certified for installation on the particular aircraft. Compliance with the AD is required within a specified timeframe to mitigate the risk of unsafe conditions arising from the identified issue.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to Rockwell Collins, Inc. Model FMC-4200, FMC-5000, and FMC-6000 Flight Management Computers (FMC) with certain part numbers. This AD mandates that these FMC units must be removed and replaced with specified modified or new units to address an identified unsafe condition. The directive applies to the listed FMC models installed on specific aircraft, such as the Beechjet 400A and 400T (T-1A) and the CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet Series 100 and CL-600-2B16 (variant CL-640) manufactured by Raytheon Bombardier. The replacement must adhere to the applicable maintenance manual and ensure compatibility with other avionics units. The compliance period requires the actions to be completed within 24 calendar months for the removal and replacement of the FMC units, and immediately for the prohibition on installing unmodified FMC units as replacements. This AD is enforceable across the Commonwealth of Australia and serves to mitigate the risk of unsafe flight conditions resulting from the FMC's handling of flight management information.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, mandates specific actions to address an unsafe condition identified in certain Rockwell Collins Flight Management Computers (FMC). The directive applies to FMC-4200, FMC-5000, and FMC-6000 models with particular part numbers, which are installed in aircraft such as the Beechjet 400A and 400T (T-1A) and CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet Series 100 and CL-600-2B16 (variant CL-604). The directive requires the removal and replacement of these specified FMC units with either a modified unit or a new one, ensuring that the replacement part number has been certified for the specific aircraft model through the relevant certification process. This must be done in accordance with the applicable maintenance manual. Furthermore, any FMC unit specified in the directive must be modified to the specified replacement part number before being installed as a replacement or new installation on any aircraft. The AD imposes clear obligations on aircraft operators and maintenance providers. Operators must ensure that any affected FMC units are either removed and replaced with a certified unit or modified as specified within the directive. Maintenance providers must follow the instructions outlined in the applicable maintenance manual to perform these modifications or replacements. The directive further mandates that operators and maintenance providers must verify that any additional avionics units are upgraded if necessary to be compatible with the replacement FMC part number. Additionally, compliance with the directive must be achieved within 24 calendar months from the effective date of the directive for the replacement requirement, and immediately for the modification requirement. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can lead to significant consequences. The directive does not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance; however, under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, breaches of airworthiness requirements can result in substantial fines and potential criminal charges for individuals or corporations. The severity of the penalties can vary depending on the nature and impact of the non-compliance, but it is clear that adherence to such directives is mandatory to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of the aircraft involved.