Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by F2006B11145, were enacted to address safety issues related to the operation of civil aviation aircraft within Australia. This particular legislative instrument focuses on the Gates Learjet 24 & 25 Series Aeroplanes, introducing specific airworthiness directives to mitigate potential hazards. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, as the enacting body, aims to ensure that these aircraft meet stringent safety standards to protect the public and enhance the safety of air travel. This regulation was introduced to address the problem of possible malfunctions in the automatic flight control systems of these aircraft models, which, if left unchecked, could lead to hazardous flight attitudes. Compliance with these directives is mandatory to maintain the airworthiness of the specified aircraft models.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, focusing on the Gates Learjet 24 & 25 Series Aeroplanes. This legislation applies to all Gates Learjet 25, 25A with serial numbers ranging from 25-003 to 25-066, excluding 25-061, and all Gates Learjet 25B, 25C with serial numbers 25-061, 25-067 to 25-205. The requirement is for these aircraft to undergo specific modifications to their automatic flight control systems as outlined in the directive. This directive mandates the installation of certain modification kits, with variations depending on the model, and also includes an inspection of the stall warning accelerometer following specific service bulletins. Compliance with these requirements must be achieved by 30 April 1984. This regulation is essential to mitigate potential hazards that could arise from unaddressed malfunctions, ensuring the safety and airworthiness of the specified aircraft models.

Key Provisions

The primary sections of the AD/LEARJET/28 address the required modifications and inspections of the automatic flight control systems for specific Gates Learjet 24 & 25 series aeroplanes (section 1). The regulation specifies the particular models and serial numbers that are subject to these requirements (section 2). It mandates that the flight control systems must be modified using specific modification kits, which vary depending on the model (section 3). Additionally, the regulation requires an inspection of the stall warning accelerometer as outlined in Gates Learjet Service Bulletin 23, 24, 25-301B (section 4). The compliance date for these modifications and inspections is set for 30 April 1984 (section 5). The obligations imposed by this Act on the parties or entities it governs include ensuring that the specified aircraft models and serial numbers undergo the necessary modifications and inspections within the stipulated timeframe. Specifically, the aircraft owners or operators must ensure that the automatic flight control systems are modified using the appropriate modification kits (section 3). They must also conduct an inspection of the stall warning accelerometer in accordance with the specified service bulletins (section 4). Failure to adhere to these requirements can lead to safety hazards that could result in hazardous flight attitudes. Violation of the provisions outlined in AD/LEARJET/28 can lead to significant consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the legislative instrument, non-compliance with civil aviation safety directives generally can result in enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions can include fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance is deemed to have caused harm or posed a significant risk of harm. The severity of the penalties can vary depending on the nature and extent of the non-compliance.