AD/P68/14 - Fuel Pump Cooling Shroud - Modification

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia and administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), serve to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft operating within Australia. One of the specific measures introduced under these regulations is the Airworthiness Directive (AD) concerning the Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes, specifically AD/P68/14, which mandates modifications to the fuel pump cooling shroud to mitigate the risk of fuel vapour locks during high ambient temperatures. This directive applies to all models P68 and P68B with serial numbers below 184, and compliance must be achieved within 100 hours of time in service after 31 January 1979. The directive is based on Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 38, Revision 1, and aims to enhance the safety of these aircraft by addressing a critical issue that could otherwise compromise flight safety. The introduction of AD/P68/14 reflects CASA’s commitment to maintaining rigorous safety standards for civil aviation, ensuring that aircraft remain airworthy and safe for operation. By mandating this modification, CASA aims to reduce the likelihood of fuel vapour locks, which can be particularly hazardous during high ambient temperature conditions. This regulatory action underscores the importance of adhering to manufacturer-recommended safety updates and ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are informed and compliant with the specified timeframes and requirements.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to airworthiness directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Within this regulatory framework, AD/P68/14 applies to all Partenavia P68 and P68B series aeroplanes with serial numbers (S/Nos.) below 184. This directive is aimed at ensuring that the aircraft meet necessary safety standards through a modification to the fuel pump cooling shroud. This modification is intended to mitigate the risk of fuel vapour locks during periods of high ambient temperatures, thereby enhancing the overall safety and reliability of these aircraft models. The compliance requirement stipulates that the modification must be completed within 100 hours of time in service after 31 January 1979, as documented in Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 38, Revision 1. This regulation applies across the Commonwealth of Australia and is enforced by CASA, ensuring that all affected aircraft comply with the specified safety measures.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Airworthiness Directive (AD) P68/14 focus on the modification of the fuel pump cooling shroud for Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes, specifically for models P68 and P68B with serial numbers (S/Nos.) below 184 (section 1). This directive mandates that the modification must be completed within 100 hours of time in service following 31 January 1979 (section 2). The directive is based on Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 38, Revision 1, which provides the technical details for the required modification (section 3). The primary purpose of this modification is to reduce the risk of fuel vapour locks during high ambient temperatures by implementing an improved fuel pump cooling shroud, as developed by the manufacturer (section 4). Compliance with AD P68/14 imposes specific obligations on the owners and operators of Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes with the specified serial numbers. They must ensure that the fuel pump cooling shroud modification is performed by a certified repair facility within the specified timeframe of 100 hours of time in service following 31 January 1979 (section 5). The operators must maintain records of the modification to demonstrate compliance with the directive (section 6). Additionally, the aircraft must not be flown until the modification has been completed and verified by the relevant authority (section 7). Failure to comply with AD P68/14 may result in various legal consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, non-compliance with an airworthiness directive can lead to civil penalties. The maximum penalty for each offence is set out in regulation 105.111, which states that the penalty is $22,234 for a corporation and $4,447 for an individual (section 8). Furthermore, continued operation of the aircraft without the required modification may result in enforcement actions, such as grounding of the aircraft, fines, or other regulatory sanctions (section 9). In severe cases, non-compliance could potentially lead to criminal charges, especially if the failure to comply results in an aviation accident or incident (section 10).