AD/PA-31/110 Amdt 3 - Emergency Electrical Fuel Pumps

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically within Part 39 - 105, address safety directives for various aircraft models, including the Piper PA-31 Series Aeroplanes. This legislative instrument, F2006B05697, was enacted to rectify safety concerns identified with certain emergency fuel pump components in Piper PA-31 aircraft. The Australian Parliament, through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, introduced these regulations to mitigate risks associated with the failure of emergency fuel pump blade retaining rings, which could lead to engine power loss and subsequent safety hazards. The primary policy objective is to ensure the airworthiness of these aircraft by mandating specific maintenance actions to prevent the failure of emergency fuel pumps and their impact on the overall fuel system integrity. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 require all applicable Piper PA-31 models to either recondition the emergency fuel pumps and replace their blade retaining rings or, alternatively, replace only the blade retaining rings as per the aircraft manufacturer's Maintenance Manual. Compliance with these directives is mandatory within specified timeframes post-manufacture or reconditioning and at regular intervals thereafter. The amendments aim to enhance safety by addressing the identified issues of blade retaining ring failure, which could otherwise lead to significant engine malfunctions. The regulations underscore the importance of maintaining stringent safety standards in civil aviation to protect both passengers and aircraft operations.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, mandates the application of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for Piper PA-31 Series aeroplanes, encompassing all models PA-31, PA31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P-350 and PA-31-350T1020 that are fitted with emergency fuel pumps part numbers 42113-02, 42113-05 and 42113-06. This directive applies to all operators and owners of these aircraft within the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring compliance with civil aviation safety standards set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The directive's geographic reach is national, applying uniformly across all states and territories of Australia. The regulation requires either the reconditioning of the emergency fuel pumps and replacement of blade retaining rings in accordance with the manufacturer’s Maintenance Manual, or simply the replacement of the blade retaining rings, and mandates compliance within specific intervals of aircraft time in service. This directive does not exclude any models or operational circumstances within its scope and is enforceable through CASA’s regulatory framework.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 105 (subsection 105.205), addresses the maintenance requirements for specific Piper PA-31 series aeroplanes equipped with emergency fuel pumps. The regulation requires either the reconditioning of the emergency fuel pumps and replacement of blade retaining rings (subsection 105.205(1)(a)) or, alternatively, the replacement of just the blade retaining rings (subsection 105.205(1)(b)). These actions must be performed in accordance with the aircraft manufacturer's Maintenance Manual. The applicability of this directive extends to all Piper PA-31 models, including PA-31-300, PA-31-325, PA-31-350, PA-31P-350, and PA-31-350T1020, that are equipped with emergency fuel pumps bearing part numbers 42113-02, 42113-05, and 42113-06. The regulation imposes specific obligations on the operators and maintenance personnel of the affected aircraft. Compliance with the directive requires that the specified actions be taken within 2000 hours of aircraft time in service since new or reconditioned, and subsequently at intervals of 2000 hours. For fuel pumps that have already accumulated more than 2000 hours of service after 28 February 1986, compliance must be achieved within 100 hours of service after 31 March 1986, followed by compliance at 2000-hour intervals thereafter. These requirements are designed to address a history of incidents where the failure of the emergency fuel pump blade retention ring led to a loss of engine power due to the ring pieces lodging in the engine-driven fuel pump and causing it to fail. Failure to comply with the requirements of this regulation can result in significant consequences. While the specific civil or criminal penalties are not detailed in the text, non-compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations can generally lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. These actions may include fines, aircraft grounding, or other regulatory sanctions. The severity of the penalties will depend on the specific circumstances of the non-compliance and the potential risk to aviation safety posed by the failure to adhere to the directive.