AD/PA-38/11 Amdt 1 - Stabiliser Pulley Bracket Mounting Fitting and Empennage Attachments - Inspection

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, are administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and are designed to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. A specific piece of legislation within this framework is the Piper PA-38 (Tomahawk) Series Aeroplanes AD/PA-38/11 Amendment 1 issued in 1982. This legislation addresses the identified issue of potential hazards associated with the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting and empennage attachments on the Piper PA-38 (Tomahawk) Series aeroplanes. The policy objective is to enhance flight safety by mandating regular inspections and maintenance of critical components to prevent in-flight failures. This particular amendment requires the inspection and, if necessary, the tightening of certain bolts and the checking of specific fittings for cracks, ensuring that these aeroplanes maintain their airworthiness and safety standards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, mandates that this legislation applies to all model PA-38-112 aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from 38-78A0001 to 38-79A0312, ensuring adherence to airworthiness directives concerning the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting and empennage attachments. This regulation is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and applies within the Commonwealth of Australia, governing the maintenance and inspection of these aircraft to ensure safety in flight operations. The requirement necessitates that inspections of the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting be conducted at intervals not exceeding 100 hours of service time, while the torque check and tightening of the empennage attach bolts must be carried out at intervals not exceeding 500 hours of service time. This legislation does not explicitly state exclusions or exemptions, implying that all specified aircraft within the serial number range must comply with the inspection and maintenance directives outlined. The enforcement of these regulations can be extended or detailed further through subordinate instruments issued by CASA.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 105, establish a framework for ensuring the safety of civil aviation operations, with a specific focus on the airworthiness of aircraft. Under this legislation, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issues Airworthiness Directives (ADs) to address potential safety issues. AD/PA-38/11 Amendment 1 (AD/PA-38/11 Amdt 1) pertains to the Piper PA-38 (Tomahawk) series aeroplanes, specifically those with serial numbers ranging from 38-78A0001 to 38-79A0312. This directive mandates detailed inspections and corrective actions to prevent hazards associated with structural components of the aircraft. The main requirements of AD/PA-38/11 Amdt 1 (sections 3 and 4) include inspecting the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting for any signs of cracks and ensuring that the vertical fin to fuselage and horizontal stabiliser to vertical fin spar attach fitting bolts are properly torqued. Operators must remove the dorsal fin forward fairing and visually inspect the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting using a dye penetrant inspection method or an appropriate visual aid. Additionally, the directive requires the removal of various components to check and adjust the torque of eighteen specific bolts, ensuring they are tightened to between 90 and 110 inch-pounds. Each bolt must be marked after the inspection to facilitate future checks. Compliance with AD/PA-38/11 Amdt 1 is stringent, with specific intervals prescribed for inspections. According to the directive, the inspection of the stabiliser pulley bracket mounting fitting must be conducted at intervals not exceeding 100 hours of flight time (paragraph 1). In contrast, the inspection and torque adjustment of the empennage attach bolts must occur at intervals not exceeding 500 hours of flight time (paragraph 2). These regular inspections are critical to maintaining the structural integrity of the aircraft and ensuring safe flight operations. Failure to comply with the requirements outlined in AD/PA-38/11 Amdt 1 can lead to severe consequences. Civil aviation regulations impose strict penalties for non-compliance, which can include fines and potential criminal charges. The exact penalties are not specified in the provided text but are likely to be significant given the importance of adhering to airworthiness directives. Non-compliance can not only result in financial penalties but also endanger the safety of the aircraft, its occupants, and other persons on the ground, leading to potential criminal liability for those responsible.