AD/OXY/13 - Puritan Bennett Aero Systems Crewmember Protective Breathing Equipment

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia, with the overarching aim of protecting passengers, crew, and the general public from aviation-related risks. Part 39, specifically Schedule 107, establishes the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) to maintain the airworthiness of aircraft. The AD/OXY/13 regarding Puritan Bennett Aero Systems Crewmember Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) was introduced to address a specific safety issue related to the deterioration of neck seals in PBE units, which could potentially compromise the effectiveness of these life-critical devices during in-flight emergencies. By mandating inspections and requiring the presence of a yellow label to identify compliant units, the directive aims to enhance crew safety by ensuring that only properly maintained equipment is used in the event of an in-flight fire. CASA's policy objective is to proactively manage and mitigate risks to aviation safety through the timely issuance and enforcement of such directives.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under Part 39, specifically within Schedule 107 pertaining to Airworthiness Directives, governs the applicability and compliance requirements for oxygen systems on certain aircraft. This particular legislative instrument, AD/OXY/13, focuses on the Puritan Bennett Aero Systems Crewmember Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE), particularly those with part numbers 119003 and 119003-01. These systems are installed on a range of aircraft including those from Aerospatiale, Airbus Industrie, Boeing, British Aerospace, Canadair, de Havilland, Fokker, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, SAAB, and Shorts. The directive mandates that inspections of these PBE units must be conducted in accordance with Puritan Bennett Aero Systems' Accomplishment Instructions of Service Bulletin 119003-35-1 dated 15 February 1993, with the aim of ensuring that a yellow label is affixed to the red rip tag. Any unit found without the yellow label must be removed from service. This directive is designed to mitigate the risk of crewmember exposure to smoke in the event of an inflight fire due to deteriorated neck seals on the PBE units. Compliance with this directive is required by 1 March 1996 and must be immediately reported following inspection.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39, mandate that operators of certain aircraft must adhere to Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). One such directive, AD/OXY/13, pertains to the Puritan Bennett Aero Systems Crewmember Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) installed on various aircraft models (Section 107). The directive applies to PBE units with part numbers 119003 and 119003-01, which are commonly found on aircraft such as the ATR42, ATR72, A300, A310, A320, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, BAe 146, BAe 31, RJ, DHC-8, Fokker 100, L1011, DC8, DC9, DC10, MD11, MD80, MD81, MD82, MD83, SF340, and Shorts 360 (Section 107). The key provisions of this directive require operators to inspect the PBE units to confirm that a yellow label is attached to the red rip tag, as detailed in the Accomplishment Instructions of Puritan Bennett Aero Systems Service Bulletin 119003-35-1 dated 15 February 1993. If the yellow label is not present, the PBE unit must be removed from service. This inspection and compliance must be completed prior to 1 March 1996 and immediately following the inspection (Section 107). The directive is in response to findings of deteriorated neck seals in some PBE units, which could reduce the protection afforded to crewmembers in case of inflight fires, thereby increasing the risk of smoke inhalation. Operators of the affected aircraft are obligated to ensure that all PBE units are inspected and labelled as required by the directive. They must also remove any PBE units that do not meet the specified requirements from service immediately. This directive is critical to maintaining the safety of flight crew by reducing the risk of smoke inhalation during inflight emergencies (Section 107). Failure to comply with this directive can result in serious safety risks. The primary consequence of non-compliance is the potential for PBE units to fail during an inflight emergency, thereby endangering the lives of crewmembers. Additionally, non-compliance may lead to regulatory action by CASA, including potential enforcement actions or penalties. The specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the text, but they could include fines or other regulatory sanctions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations. Ensuring compliance with AD/OXY/13 is therefore essential for maintaining the airworthiness of the affected aircraft and the safety of their operations.