AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PARA/7 Amdt 1 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CASR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
Parachute Equipment
AD/PARA/7
Amdt 2
MarS ATL-88 Parachutes 11/2003
Applicability: Rescue parachutes ATL-88, ATL-88/92-S, and ATL-88/90, produced by MarS spol.
s.r.o. between 30 December 1997 and 11 February 2003, on which Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1/04/2002 has not been accomplished.
Requirement: Retire affected parachutes from further operational use, or
Accomplish MarS a.s. Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1/04/2002. This SB requires an inspection of the entire parachute system, which includes: pilot-chute, bridle, canopy and lines, harness and container, ripcord, and carry bag.
There must be no evidence of contamination, corrosion, wear, loss of strength, damage or deficiency in manufacture, which could affect the airworthiness of the entire parachute system.
Results of the inspection, including the serial number and date of manufacture, are to be reported to the manufacturer (fax # 420 462 327 837) and the Czech CAA (fax # 420 220 562 270). The manufacturer will then check production records for the parachute and issue a report of the inspection. If production documents are inadequate or cannot be found, the parachute is to be deemed unserviceable and its documentation marked accordingly.
Note 1: A copy of the SB may be obtained from the Australian Parachute Federation or CASA Airframes Section, Canberra, e-mail airworthiness.directives@casa.gov.au
Note 2: Australian Parachute Federation Packer “A” or APF Rigger are personnel qualified to accomplish the inspection requirements of this Directive.
Note 3: Czech AD CAA-AD-T-039/2002R2 refers.
Compliance: Effective from 20 June 2002.
The compliance time remains unchanged by this issue. This Amendment becomes effective on 30 October 2003.
Parachute Equipment
AD/PARA/7 Amdt 2 (continued)
Background: The Czech CAA determined that the parachute manufacturer has not had a valid Approval Certificate for Production in accordance with the Czech Aviation Act, for parachutes produced after 30 December 1997.
Amendment 1 introduced a manufacturer’s service bulletin that provides an alternative to retirement of affected parachutes. Since 7 May 2002, the manufacturer has had an Approval Certificate for the maintenance of the affected parachutes.
Amendment 2 is issued in response to a revision of the related Czech AD which closes the applicability period for affected parachutes, due to MarS a.s. gaining Production Organisation Approval according to JAR 21 Subpart G on 12 February 2003.
Amendment 1 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 19 June 2002. The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 24 April 2002.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 10 September 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 October 2003.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued Airworthiness Directive AD/PARA/7 Amendment 2, which was enacted in 2003 to address safety concerns related to rescue parachutes manufactured by MarS spol.s.r.o. between 30 December 1997 and 11 February 2003. The directive applies to specific models of MarS ATL-88 parachutes that have not undergone the Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1/04/2002. The objective of the directive is to ensure these parachutes are either retired from operational use or undergo a comprehensive inspection to rectify any manufacturing deficiencies that could compromise airworthiness. This directive is a response to the Czech Civil Aviation Authority's determination that the manufacturer lacked a valid production certificate for the specified period and aims to align with the revised Czech Airworthiness Directive, which closed the applicability period due to the manufacturer gaining Production Organisation Approval under JAR 21 Subpart G.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 applies specifically to rescue parachutes ATL-88, ATL-88/92-S, and ATL-88/90 produced by MarS spol.s.r.o. between 30 December 1997 and 11 February 2003, for which Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1/04/2002 has not been completed. This AD pertains to parachutes that remain in use within Australia and affects the entities responsible for their maintenance and operation. The AD's applicability extends to ensuring the airworthiness of these parachutes by either retiring them from further operational use or completing the specified inspection and maintenance as outlined in the directive. The AD is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate, and its geographic reach is within the Commonwealth of Australia, applying to all aircraft and aeronautical products registered or operated in Australia. The AD does not explicitly state exclusions, but it implicitly excludes parachutes that have already undergone the required service bulletin. The AD may be extended or modified through subordinate instruments as necessary to address evolving safety concerns.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PARA/7 Amdt 2 specifies the mandatory requirements for certain rescue parachutes, specifically those models ATL-88, ATL-88/92-S, and ATL-88/90 manufactured by MarS spol.s.r.o. between 30 December 1997 and 11 February 2003, which have not had Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1/04/2002 completed (section 1). According to the AD, the owner or operator of these parachutes must either retire the parachutes from operational use or complete the inspection and maintenance specified in the manufacturer's service bulletin (section 1). The inspection, which must be conducted by qualified personnel such as Australian Parachute Federation Packer “A” or APF Rigger, involves a comprehensive examination of the parachute system including the pilot-chute, bridle, canopy and lines, harness and container, ripcord, and carry bag (section 1). The inspection must ensure that there is no contamination, corrosion, wear, loss of strength, damage, or deficiency in manufacture that could affect the airworthiness of the parachute (section 1).
The AD imposes specific obligations on the parties involved. The owner or operator of the affected parachutes must ensure that either the retirement of the parachutes is carried out or the inspection and maintenance as per the service bulletin are completed (section 1). Additionally, the results of the inspection must be reported to both the manufacturer and the Czech Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) (section 1). The manufacturer is required to verify the production records for the inspected parachute and issue a report (section 1). If the production documents are insufficient or cannot be located, the parachute is to be deemed unserviceable, and its documentation must reflect this status (section 1).
Failure to comply with the requirements of this AD can result in severe consequences. If a parachute that has not been properly inspected or retired is used, it could lead to unsafe conditions that endanger the lives of those using the parachute (section 1). The AD does not specify exact penalties for non-compliance, but it is likely that enforcement actions could include fines, grounding of the aircraft, or other regulatory actions as deemed necessary by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) (section 1). The seriousness of potential airworthiness issues necessitates strict adherence to the AD to maintain the safety standards required in aviation.