COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series Aeroplanes
AD/PA-24/29 Rudder Balance Weight - Installation 1/73
Applicability: Models PA-24 and PA-24-250 with S/Nos. 24-1 to 24-3641 and 24-3643 to 24-3687.
Model PA-24-260 with S/Nos. 24- 3642 and 24-4000 to 24-5026.
Document: Piper SB No. 362A.
Compliance: Within 50 hours time in service after 18 December 1972 or before 1 February 1973 whichever occurs first.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, were established to regulate civil aviation activities within Australia and to ensure safety standards are upheld across the industry. This legislative framework is administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and aims to maintain high safety standards for all aviation activities. One of the specific directives within this regulation is the Airworthiness Directive AD/PA-24/29, which pertains to the installation of rudder balance weights on Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series aeroplanes. This directive was introduced to address specific safety concerns associated with the balance and control of these aircraft models, ensuring they meet the required safety standards and reducing the risk of accidents due to control issues.
The policy objective behind AD/PA-24/29 is to enhance the airworthiness of the specified Piper PA-24 models by mandating the installation of rudder balance weights. This directive applies to certain serial numbers of PA-24 and PA-24-250 models as well as PA-24-260 models, requiring compliance within a specified timeframe to ensure these aircraft are safe to operate. The directive is intended to address identified safety issues by ensuring that the rudder balance weights are installed, thereby improving the aircraft's handling characteristics and overall safety performance.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, specifically address the airworthiness directives concerning Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series Aeroplanes, with a particular focus on AD/PA-24/29, which pertains to the installation of rudder balance weights. This directive applies to specific models and serial numbers of the Piper PA-24 aeroplanes, namely the PA-24 and PA-24-250 models with serial numbers ranging from 24-1 to 24-3641 and 24-3643 to 24-3687, as well as the PA-24-260 models with serial numbers 24-3642 and 24-4000 to 24-5026. Compliance with this directive is mandatory and must be achieved within 50 hours of time in service following 18 December 1972 or before 1 February 1973, whichever occurs first. The scope of this regulation extends to ensuring the specified aircraft meet the required safety standards, thereby maintaining their airworthiness as dictated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The regulation applies nationwide within the Commonwealth of Australia and is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, ensuring consistency and compliance across all relevant jurisdictions.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, contains a schedule of airworthiness directives that apply to various types of aircraft. One such directive, AD/PA-24/29, pertains to the installation of a rudder balance weight on Piper PA-24 (Comanche) series aeroplanes. This directive applies to models PA-24 and PA-24-250 with serial numbers (S/Nos.) ranging from 24-1 to 24-3641 and from 24-3643 to 24-3687, and to model PA-24-260 with S/Nos. 24-3642 and from 24-4000 to 24-5026. The directive requires compliance within 50 hours of time in service after 18 December 1972 or before 1 February 1973, whichever occurs first, as outlined in Piper Service Bulletin No. 362A.
The obligations imposed by this directive are primarily on the owners and operators of the specified Piper PA-24 series aeroplanes. They must ensure that the rudder balance weight is installed according to the requirements set out in the directive. This involves adhering to the specific timeframes mentioned and utilising the guidance provided in Piper Service Bulletin No. 362A. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in the aircraft not meeting the necessary airworthiness standards, potentially leading to safety issues.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this airworthiness directive can have significant legal and safety consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance with this specific directive, but generally, breaches of airworthiness directives can result in severe civil or criminal penalties. Civil penalties may include fines, and in more serious cases, criminal penalties can include imprisonment. Additionally, non-compliance can result in the suspension or revocation of the aircraft’s certificate of airworthiness, thereby preventing the aircraft from legally operating until the issue is rectified.
In summary, AD/PA-24/29 mandates the installation of a rudder balance weight in specified Piper PA-24 series aeroplanes within a defined timeframe. Owners and operators must ensure compliance to maintain airworthiness, with potential severe civil or criminal penalties for non-compliance, including fines and imprisonment.