Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, include provisions for Airworthiness Directives which are issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address specific safety concerns with aircraft. One such Airworthiness Directive is AD/JETSTREAM/86, issued on 5 May 2000, which applies to all Series 200 and Jetstream 3100 and 3200 aircraft, excluding specific constructor numbers. This directive was enacted to address the problem of reported damage to the rudder quadrant support structure, particularly cracking of the support structure’s upper edge member radii and bottom diaphragm radii adjacent to the rudder artificial feel assembly attachment. The damage was found to be caused by incorrectly installed profiled D-washers, which are intended to reinforce the radii when properly installed. The policy objective behind this directive is to ensure the safe operation of these aircraft by requiring inspections and necessary repairs to prevent further damage, thereby maintaining the airworthiness of the affected aircraft.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 – 105, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the legislative instrument F2006B10955, contains airworthiness directives that apply to certain categories of aircraft to ensure safety standards are met. This particular directive, AD/JETSTREAM/86, pertains to all Series 200 and Jetstream 3100 and 3200 aircraft, excluding Constructors numbers 936 and 940. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions to address reported occurrences of damage to the rudder quadrant support structure, specifically cracking in the support structure's upper edge member radii and bottom diaphragm radii adjacent to the rudder artificial feel assembly attachment. The requirement necessitates an inspection in accordance with British Aerospace Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) 53-JA-990842 or its revision, and where the inspection and repair have already been completed, it requires a check to ensure the correct rivets have been used. Compliance with this directive must be achieved before 31 December 2000, unless the required actions have already been undertaken. The directive became effective on 18 May 2000 and is applicable within the national jurisdiction of Australia.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive AD/JETSTREAM/86 (2000) specifically addresses the rudder quadrant support structure of British Aerospace BAe 3100 (Jetstream) Series 200 and Jetstream 3100 and 3200 aircraft, excluding certain constructors' numbers. This directive is issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate. The directive mandates that an inspection be conducted in accordance with BAe Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) 53-JA-990842 or its revision 1. For aircraft that have already undergone this inspection and repair, a check must be performed to ensure the correct rivets have been used. This action is considered necessary to rectify an unsafe condition identified in the background section of the AD, which reports instances of damage to the rudder quadrant support structure, specifically cracking of the support structure upper edge member radii and bottom diaphragm radii adjacent to the rudder artificial feel assembly attachment. This damage is attributed to incorrectly installed profiled D-washers designed to reinforce the radii when correctly installed. Operators and owners of the specified aircraft must comply with the requirements outlined in the directive. They are obligated to perform the inspection as detailed in the BAe Mandatory Service Bulletin 53-JA-990842 or its revision 1, and to ensure that the correct rivets are used if the inspection and repair have already been carried out. The directive mandates that this inspection and any necessary corrective action must be completed before 31 December 2000, unless it has already been accomplished. The directive becomes effective on 18 May 2000. Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can result in significant legal and safety consequences. Non-compliance may render the aircraft non-airworthy, potentially leading to grounding until the required actions are taken. Furthermore, operators and owners found in breach of this directive may face enforcement actions from CASA, which could include fines, legal proceedings, or other penalties. The specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the AD itself but are governed by the broader regulatory framework within which CASA operates, which includes the potential for substantial financial penalties and other regulatory sanctions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and related regulations.