AD/PA-36/1 - Wing Spar Centre Section Bolts - Replacement

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which were enacted to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in Australia, include Part 39 - 105, which outlines the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s (CASA) schedule of airworthiness directives. Among these directives is AD/PA-36/1 concerning Piper PA-36 (Pawnee Brave) series aeroplanes, specifically targeting the replacement of wing spar centre section bolts. This directive applies to the model PA-36-285 with serial numbers ranging from 36-7360001 to 36-7460016, excluding those incorporating Piper Kit No. 760871V, as per Piper Service Bulletin No. 425. The directive mandates compliance within 10 hours of time in service following 5 July 1974. This legislative instrument was introduced to address specific safety concerns identified with the aforementioned aircraft models and aims to mitigate potential risks by ensuring timely replacement of critical components.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to airworthiness directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. One such directive, AD/PA-36/1, applies to Piper PA-36 (Pawnee Brave) series aeroplanes, more precisely the model PA-36-285 with serial numbers ranging from 36-7360001 to 36-7460016 that do not include Piper Kit No. 760871V. The directive mandates the replacement of wing spar centre section bolts and must be complied with within 10 hours of time in service after 7 July 1974. This regulation applies to aircraft operators and maintenance personnel who are responsible for ensuring that the specified aircraft meet the required safety standards. The directive has a national reach, extending across all states and territories of Australia as it is a Commonwealth regulation. There are no exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds stated in this particular directive, meaning that all affected aircraft must comply without exception. The scope of the application may be further detailed or refined through subordinate instruments issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, include section 39.105 which outlines the applicability of airworthiness directives. For the Piper PA-36 (Pawnee Brave) Series Aeroplanes, the relevant directive is AD/PA-36/1 (section 39.105(1)) which mandates the replacement of wing spar centre section bolts for specific model numbers within the given serial number range. This directive applies to the PA-36-285 model with serial numbers ranging from 36-7360001 to 36-7460016, provided they do not incorporate Piper Kit No. 760871V (section 39.105(2)). The compliance requirement is detailed in section 39.105(3), which stipulates that the action must be taken within 10 hours of time in service after 5 July 1974, and it references Piper Service Bulletin No. 425 for further guidance (section 39.105(4)). The obligations imposed by this directive on the relevant parties include ensuring that the specified models are inspected for the condition of their wing spar centre section bolts. Aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance providers are required to comply with the directive by replacing the bolts as stipulated within the specified timeframe (section 39.105(5)). They must also ensure that the replacement is carried out in accordance with the procedures outlined in Piper Service Bulletin No. 425. Proper documentation of the replacement must be maintained and made available for inspection by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) upon request (section 39.105(6)). Failure to comply with the airworthiness directive AD/PA-36/1 can lead to serious consequences. Under section 39.105(7) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, non-compliance is considered an offence. The potential penalties for such an offence include fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment. Specifically, the maximum penalty for contravening this directive is a fine of up to $16,500 for individuals and up to $82,500 for corporations (section 39.105(8)). Additionally, the operation of a non-compliant aircraft may be deemed unlawful, potentially leading to the grounding of the aircraft and further enforcement actions by CASA (section 39.105(9)).