Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued in 2000, aim to address safety concerns related to the Maule M-5 Series Aeroplanes. Specifically, AD/ML-M5/11 targets issues with nicopress sleeves on control cables that have been reported to slip, potentially leading to unsafe conditions. The AD mandates corrective action in accordance with Maule Service Bulletin No. 20, dated 27 December 1999, and requires compliance within 100 hours of the directive's effective date of 13 July 2000. This directive was issued by Bernard Malcolm Hole, a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, under the authority of subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, with the overarching policy objective of enhancing aviation safety by addressing identified hazards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), include specific provisions that govern the airworthiness of aircraft within Australia. One such provision is found in PART 39 - 105, which pertains to the Airworthiness Directives issued for specific aircraft models. This directive, AD/ML-M5/11, applies to all Maule M-5 series aeroplanes, irrespective of their serial numbers. The directive mandates that corrective actions, as outlined in Maule Service Bulletin No. 20 dated 27 December 1999, must be undertaken to address a specific safety concern regarding cable slipping from the nicopress sleeve. This action is necessitated by a previous determination that a tool used by Maule was incorrectly set, which has been linked to safety incidents. The directive stipulates that compliance with the required actions must be achieved within 100 hours of time in service after the effective date of the directive, which is 13 July 2000. The directive was officially published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 June 2000.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) pertains specifically to the Maule M-5 Series Aeroplanes (section AD/ML-M5/11). This directive mandates that all M5 models and serial numbers must adhere to the requirements outlined (section 7/2000). The directive stipulates that the corrective action must be implemented in accordance with Maule Service Bulletin No. 20 dated 27 December 1999 and must be completed within 100 hours of time in service following the effective date of the directive (section Applicability and Requirement). The AD became effective on 13 July 2000. The AD imposes specific obligations on the operators and owners of Maule M-5 Series Aeroplanes. These include ensuring that the nicopress sleeves on control cables are addressed as per the instructions in Maule Service Bulletin No. 20. The directive mandates that the required action be taken without delay, specifically within 100 hours of the AD becoming effective. Failure to comply with the AD may result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy. Any failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directive can result in serious consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with an AD can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions may include fines, the grounding of the aircraft, and potential criminal charges. The maximum penalties for non-compliance with airworthiness directives can include fines up to $21,000 for individuals and substantially higher amounts for corporations, as well as imprisonment for up to five years. These severe penalties underscore the importance of adhering to the requirements set out in the AD to maintain the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft.