AD/PC-6/27 - Power Lever Assembly - Inspection and Modification

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve to regulate and ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia. One of the legislative instruments within this framework is F2006B06130, which was introduced to address specific safety concerns related to the Pilatus Porter PC-6 Series aeroplanes. This particular legislative instrument, AD/PC-6/27, targets the power lever assembly of these aircraft models, aiming to mitigate risks through mandated inspections and modifications. The policy objective, as outlined in the text, is to ensure compliance within 10 hours of time in service following the directive's issuance date of 28 November 1968, thereby enhancing the overall safety standards of the affected aircraft models. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, as the enforcing body, oversees the implementation and adherence to these directives to maintain the highest safety benchmarks in Australian civil aviation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105, governs the civil aviation safety authority and includes a schedule of airworthiness directives that apply to various aircraft types, including the Pilatus Porter PC-6 series aeroplanes. This particular directive, AD/PC-6/27, applies to all models PC-6/B-H2 and PC-6/B1-H2 with serial numbers prior to 699, with the exclusion of serial numbers 629, 642, 658, and 666. The directive mandates that compliance with the power lever assembly inspection and modification outlined in Pilatus Service Bulletin No. 85 must be completed within 10 hours of time in service after 28 November 1968. This regulation is designed to ensure the continued airworthiness of the specified aircraft models, thereby maintaining safety standards within the Commonwealth of Australia’s civil aviation sector. The directive’s application is nationwide and extends to all relevant aircraft operators within the specified serial number range, reinforcing the regulatory oversight provided by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, specifically address the airworthiness of aircraft, with Section 39-105 being pertinent to the Pilatus Porter PC-6 Series Aeroplanes (Section 39-105). This section mandates an inspection and modification to the power lever assembly of all models PC-6/B-H2 and PC-6/B1-H2 with serial numbers (S/Nos.) prior to 699, with exceptions for S/Nos. 629, 642, 658, and 666 (Section 39-105(1)). The directive requires compliance within 10 hours of time in service after 28 November 1968, as outlined in Pilatus Service Bulletin No. 85 (Section 39-105(2)). The obligations imposed by this regulation are specific to the aircraft operators and maintenance personnel. Operators must ensure that the inspection and modification of the power lever assembly are conducted within the prescribed timeframe (Section 39-105(3)). Maintenance personnel must follow the detailed procedures outlined in Pilatus SB No. 85 to perform the inspection and any necessary modifications accurately (Section 39-105(4)). Additionally, operators must maintain records of compliance, including the date of the inspection and any modifications carried out (Section 39-105(5)). Failure to comply with these requirements can result in significant consequences. Section 39-105(6) outlines that non-compliance may lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This includes potential penalties such as fines, suspension of airworthiness certificates, or even the grounding of the aircraft until compliance is achieved (Section 39-105(7)). The maximum penalties for violations are determined by the severity of the non-compliance and can include fines up to a specified amount as per the regulations (Section 39-105(8)). Additionally, continued non-compliance can result in criminal charges under Section 39-105(9), leading to prosecution and potential imprisonment for the responsible parties (Section 39-105(10)).