Overview

The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) addresses the issue of potential safety hazards associated with CAPEWELL parachute metallic ripcord pins manufactured between 28 November 2001 and 15 July 2003. The directive, which was issued on 8 August 2003 and became effective on 11 August 2003, targets parachute harness-containers of foreign origin equipped with these specific pins, as well as those with unknown origin or replaced by CAPEWELL equipment within the specified period. The primary objective of this directive is to ensure the safety of parachute equipment by requiring specific testing and reporting of findings to the Authority to mitigate the risk of ruptures in the identified components.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) applies to parachute harness-containers manufactured in France or of foreign origin, specifically those equipped with ripcord pins manufactured by CAPEWELL between 28 November 2001 and 15 July 2003. This directive pertains to harness-containers explicitly declared as affected in a Vendor Service Bulletin, those not explicitly declared unaffected, those equipped with a handle/ripcord/pin package from unknown origin, or those having their handle/ripcord/pin assembly replaced by CAPEWELL equipment with pins and ripcords manufactured within the specified date range. The directive mandates that Test 1 ("Ripcord Pin Field Test") or Test 2 ("Ripcord Pin Test for Repack") must be performed by qualified personnel, as described in CAPEWELL Service Bulletin CW03-01, and the findings must be reported to the Authority. Compliance with these requirements must occur before further use after 11 August 2003, unless the tests have already been completed, and within 7 days of performing the tests. The AD is applicable nationwide within the Commonwealth of Australia and is effective from 11 August 2003, as notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PARA/11, issued by the delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, applies specifically to CAPEWELL Parachute Equipment, more precisely to Parachute Harness-Containers manufactured in France or of foreign origin and equipped with ripcord pins made by CAPEWELL between 28 November 2001 and 15 July 2003. The applicability section of the AD delineates that the directive applies to specific harness-containers that are either declared as affected in a Vendor Service Bulletin, not explicitly declared as unaffected, equipped with a handle/ripcord/pin package from unknown origin, or have their handle/ripcord/pin assembly replaced by CAPEWELL equipment with pins and ripcords manufactured within the specified time frame. The AD mandates that two tests be performed by qualified personnel, as outlined in CAPEWELL Service Bulletin CW03-01: Test 1 (Ripcord Pin Field Test) and Test 2 (Ripcord Pin Test for Repack). Following these tests, the findings must be reported to the Authority. The compliance section stipulates that these actions must be completed before the equipment is used again after 11 August 2003, unless they have already been performed. Additionally, the report of the test findings must be submitted within seven days of the tests being conducted. The AD imposes several obligations on the parties it governs. Firstly, it requires the equipment to be tested by qualified personnel in accordance with the specified procedures and guidelines. Secondly, it mandates that the results of these tests be reported to the Authority within a set timeframe. Compliance with these requirements is crucial to ensure the continued airworthiness of the equipment and the safety of its users. Failure to adhere to the stipulations of this AD could result in significant safety risks. The legislation does not explicitly detail the offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance with the AD. However, it is likely that any failure to comply with the AD could result in the grounding of the affected equipment, which would effectively prevent its use until the required actions are taken and the Authority is satisfied with the compliance. Further, repeated or severe non-compliance could lead to more severe penalties, including fines and potential legal action against the responsible parties. The exact penalties would depend on the specific circumstances and the interpretation of the relevant aviation safety regulations by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.