Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, are fundamental to ensuring aviation safety within the country. One particular legislative instrument, F2006B05355, pertains to Airworthiness Directives for the Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address the problem of corrosion and extensive cracking of engine mount attachment fittings, which had been reported in these aircraft models. The policy objective behind this legislation is to enhance the safety standards of civil aviation by mandating specific maintenance actions to prevent structural failure due to corrosion, thereby safeguarding the lives of passengers and crew. Compliance with these directives is essential to ensure that the integrity of the engine mount fittings is maintained within specified limits, as outlined in the relevant Service Bulletins and Requirement documents.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, applies to all Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes and mandates the adherence to Airworthiness Directives concerning engine mount fittings. This directive is applicable to all models within the specified series, ensuring that they meet the safety standards set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The regulation requires compliance in two primary phases: firstly, prior to the issue of the next Maintenance Release after 25 October 1989, or within five calendar years since the date of manufacture, whichever is later, and secondly, every 500 hours of time in service or two years, whichever comes first, following the initial compliance phase. This regulatory framework is designed to address reports of corrosion and extensive cracking of the engine mount attachment fittings, with Amendment 3 specifically clarifying the allowable corrosion depth and mandating a re-inspection where a previous acceptance/rejection criterion of 1.9 mm may have been used. The directive extends its reach nationally, encompassing all relevant aircraft within Australia's jurisdiction, and applies uniformly to all operators and entities within the specified industry.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105, mandate certain requirements for maintaining the airworthiness of Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes through Airworthiness Directives (AD). One such directive, AD/P68/28 Amendment 3, addresses the issue of engine mount fittings (section 13/89). This directive stipulates that action must be taken in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No 70 Revision 1. A key requirement outlined in paragraph 1-13B of the directive document specifies that the maximum allowable corrosion depth is 75/1000 of the local thickness of the engine mount attachment fittings. For example, if the local thickness of the fitting is 3 mm (0.125"), the maximum allowable corrosion depth is 0.24 mm (0.009"). Compliance with this directive is structured into two main sections. Section 1 mandates that any required action must be completed unless it has already been accomplished in line with the specified requirements. This must occur before the issuance of the next Maintenance Release after 25 October 1989, or within five calendar years from the date of manufacture of the aircraft, whichever is later. Section 3, on the other hand, requires that these inspections and actions be repeated every 500 hours of time in service or every two years, whichever comes first, following the initial compliance under Section 1. The directive imposes specific obligations on the operators and maintainers of Partenavia P68 Series Aeroplanes. These obligations include conducting thorough inspections of the engine mount fittings to ensure that the corrosion depth does not exceed the allowable limit, as specified. Additionally, operators must adhere to the outlined timeframes for initial compliance and subsequent inspections. Failure to comply with these requirements could potentially compromise the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft. Failure to comply with the provisions of this Airworthiness Directive could result in serious consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may take enforcement action against non-compliant aircraft, which could include grounding the aircraft until the necessary actions are taken. Additionally, operators and maintainers found in breach of these regulations could face significant penalties. Although the exact penalties are not specified in the text, regulatory breaches under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 can lead to substantial fines and other civil or criminal consequences, depending on the severity and impact of the non-compliance.