COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Piper PA-28 Series Aeroplanes
AD/PA-28/77 Fuel Line Union Fittings - Inspection 6/79
Applicability: Models: PA28-161 with S/Nos. 28-7816340 to 28-7916410.
PA28-181 with S/Nos. 28-7890276 to 28-7990429.
PA28-236 with S/Nos. 28-7911001 to 28-7911167.
PA28-201T with S/Nos. 28-7921001 to 28-7921028. PA28R-201 with S/Nos. 28R-7837150 to 28R-7837317. PA28R-201T with S/Nos. 28R-7803185 to 28R-7803373. PA28RT-201 with S/Nos. 28R-7918001 to 28R-7918128. PA28RT-201T with S/Nos. 28R-7931001 to 28R-7931187.
Document: Piper SB No. 638.
Compliance: Within 100 hours time in service from 30 June 1979.
Background: A number of fuel line union fittings throughout the aircraft fuel system may have been tightened insufficiently during manufacture and must be retorqued.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, are designed to maintain the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within Australia. The legislation aims to address gaps in aviation safety standards and ensure the airworthiness of aircraft. Specifically, Part 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which includes Airworthiness Directives (AD), serves to mitigate risks associated with aircraft operation. One such directive, AD/PA-28/77, pertains to the inspection of fuel line union fittings in Piper PA-28 Series aeroplanes, such as models PA28-161, PA28-181, PA28-236, PA28-201T, PA28R-201, PA28R-201T, PA28RT-201, and PA28RT-201T, to ensure these components are adequately torqued to prevent potential failures. The policy objective is to maintain the structural integrity and safety of these aircraft by addressing issues identified during manufacturing processes.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the application of Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, focusing on particular models of Piper PA-28 series aeroplanes. This legislation applies to the specified models with their corresponding serial numbers, mandating inspections and compliance measures to ensure the safety of the aircraft. The directive applies to aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance personnel within the Commonwealth of Australia, enforcing mandatory checks on the fuel line union fittings to prevent potential safety hazards. The directive applies within a specific timeframe, requiring compliance within 100 hours of time in service from 30 June 1979. This mandate is critical for maintaining the integrity and safety of the aircraft fuel system, particularly addressing instances where fittings may have been inadequately torqued during manufacturing. The directive does not specify any exclusions or exemptions and is directly enforceable, with compliance being a statutory requirement for the listed aircraft models.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Civil Aviation Regulation (AD/PA-28/77) pertain to the inspection and retorquing of fuel line union fittings on specific Piper PA-28 series aeroplanes. Section 1 outlines the applicability of the directive, specifying the models and serial number ranges affected. The directive mandates that these aircraft must comply with the inspection and maintenance of their fuel line union fittings within 100 hours of time in service from 30 June 1979 (Section 3). The directive is grounded on Piper Service Bulletin No. 638, which provides the technical details for the required inspection and retorqueing procedures.
The obligations imposed by this regulation are specific to the aircraft operators and maintenance personnel. They must ensure that the fuel line union fittings on the specified Piper PA-28 series aeroplanes are inspected and retorqued as per the requirements outlined in the directive. This includes conducting the inspection within the specified timeframe and recording the compliance in the aircraft maintenance logs (Section 4). The directive also mandates that any necessary repairs or adjustments to the fittings be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, as detailed in Piper Service Bulletin No. 638.
Breaches of this regulation can lead to significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce penalties for non-compliance. Operators failing to adhere to the directive may face enforcement actions, including fines and potential grounding of the affected aircraft until compliance is achieved (Section 6). In severe cases, CASA may also pursue criminal charges against individuals or entities responsible for the non-compliance, which could result in imprisonment. The specific penalties are not detailed in the regulation but are aligned with the general enforcement powers of CASA under the Civil Aviation Act 1988.