AD/PA-24/30 Amdt 1 - Uncoordinated Manoeuvres - Warning Placard

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, amended by the Legislative Instrument F2006B05529, introduces an Airworthiness Directive (AD) concerning Piper PA-24 Comanche series aeroplanes. This legislation was enacted to address safety concerns specifically related to uncoordinated manoeuvres in certain models of the Piper PA-24 series. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Commonwealth of Australia issued this directive to ensure that the aeroplanes meet specific safety standards, thereby enhancing flight safety and reducing the risk of accidents due to uncoordinated manoeuvres. The policy objective of this directive is to mandate the installation of a warning placard on the specified models to alert pilots to the risks associated with uncoordinated flight operations, ensuring that they are well-informed and can take necessary precautions to avoid dangerous manoeuvres. The AD/PA-24/30 Amendment 1 specifically targets Piper PA-24 models with particular serial numbers, requiring compliance within 100 hours of time in service after 31 July 1975. This directive was implemented to ensure that aeroplanes identified by their serial numbers adhere to the safety requirements set forth by CASA, thus safeguarding the aviation community and maintaining high safety standards in civil aviation operations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, concerns the applicability and scope of airworthiness directives for various aircraft models, with a focus on the Piper PA-24 (Comanche) series aeroplanes. This legislative instrument applies to the specified models of Piper PA-24 aeroplanes, namely the PA-24-250 and PA-24-260 with certain serial numbers, and the PA-24-400 with serial numbers falling within a defined range. The requirement to comply with the airworthiness directive is triggered within 100 hours of time in service following 31 July 1975, as outlined in Piper Service Bulletin No. 456A. This directive pertains to the installation of a warning placard addressing uncoordinated manoeuvres, ensuring that the specified aircraft maintain safety standards as set forth by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The legislation does not explicitly mention any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, but the applicability is clearly defined in terms of serial numbers and compliance timelines, thus directly impacting the specified aircraft models within the Commonwealth of Australia.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 (subsections 39.105.01 to 39.105.12), pertain to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for Piper PA-24 (Comanche) Series Aeroplanes. Section 39.105.03 outlines the applicability of the directive to certain models and serial numbers of the Piper PA-24 aeroplanes, namely the PA-24-250 and PA-24-260 with specific serial numbers, as well as the PA-24-400 series with their respective serial numbers (subsection 39.105.03(a)). Compliance with these directives is mandatory for the specified aircraft to ensure they meet the safety standards set by CASA. Under section 39.105.05, the directive requires the installation of a warning placard concerning uncoordinated manoeuvres. This placard must be affixed within the cockpit of the specified aircraft models (subsection 39.105.05(b)). The warning placard is intended to alert pilots to the dangers of performing uncoordinated manoeuvres, which can lead to loss of control and other hazardous situations. The compliance timeframe for this directive is set within 100 hours of time in service after 31 July 1975 (subsection 39.105.05(c)). The obligations imposed by this directive on the operators and owners of the specified aircraft are to ensure that the required warning placard is installed as per the directive and in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, as outlined in Piper SB No. 456A (subsection 39.105.07). This involves checking the aircraft's serial number to determine applicability and ensuring that the placard is correctly installed and visible to the pilot (subsection 39.105.07(a)). Failure to comply with this directive may result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, and the operator could face enforcement actions. There are no explicit offences or penalties mentioned within the directive itself, but non-compliance with CASA's airworthiness directives can lead to significant consequences. These can include fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, or even prosecution for serious breaches. The specific penalties would be determined under the broader framework of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, which may impose substantial financial penalties and imprisonment for serious violations (subsection 39.105.11).