COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.
Pratt and Whitney Canada Turbine Engines - PT6A Series
AD/PT6A/31 Fuel Control Unit 4/2002
Applicability: All Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A-64, PT6A-65AG, PT6A-65B, PT6A- 66A, PT6A-67AG, and PT6A-67B engines.
Requirement: 1. Inspect the Fuel Control Unit (FCU), and determine whether the part number and the serial number are listed in the effectivity section of P&WC Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) A13341R1 or P&WC ASB A14305R1; and
2. If the FCU is not listed in the effectivity of P&WC ASB A13341R1 or P&WC ASB A14305R1 no further action is required; or
3. If the FCU is listed carry out inspection and disposition of the FCU in accordance with P&WC ASB A13341R1 or P&WC ASB A14305R1.
Note: Canadian AD CF-2002-04 refers.
Compliance: 1. Within 200 flight hours; or 120 calendar days; whichever occurs first; from the date this Directive becomes effective; and
2 and 3. Prior to flight after requirement 1 inspection..
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 18 April 2002.
Background: Investigation of an in-flight shutdown involving a PT6A-65AG engine revealed that Woodward fuel control units fitted to applicable engines were potentially assembled incorrectly. This situation is considered a safety hazard as the majority of these engines are fitted to single engine aircraft.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 10 March 2002
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 March 2002.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, form a critical framework governing civil aviation safety in the country. This legislation was introduced to address the need for stringent regulations to ensure the safety of aircraft and aeronautical products, thereby preventing accidents and incidents that could result in loss of life or property. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), as the delegate of the Australian Government, is responsible for issuing Airworthiness Directives (ADs) under this regulation. The overarching policy objective of these regulations is to maintain the highest standards of safety in the civil aviation sector by mandating specific actions to correct unsafe conditions identified in aircraft or aeronautical products. One such directive is AD/PT6A/31, issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998, which pertains to the inspection and necessary actions for Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A Series engines to address identified safety hazards.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998), specifically under Part 39, mandates Airworthiness Directives (ADs) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address unsafe conditions in aircraft or aeronautical products. This particular AD, AD/PT6A/31, pertains to Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A series turbine engines, including models PT6A-64, PT6A-65AG, PT6A-65B, PT6A-66A, PT6A-67AG, and PT6A-67B. The directive requires inspections and potentially corrective actions on the Fuel Control Unit (FCU) of these engines to ensure they do not pose a safety risk. The AD applies to all mentioned engines and mandates compliance within 200 flight hours or 120 calendar days from the effective date, 18 April 2002. The directive is applicable nationally and is enforceable by CASA, which has the authority to issue such ADs under subregulation 39.1(1) of CAR 1998. The AD becomes effective upon its gazette on 27 March 2002 and requires adherence from all operators of the specified aircraft engines within the Commonwealth of Australia.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39, Section 106, establish a series of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) which are issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The AD in question, AD/PT6A/31, applies to certain Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A series turbine engines (section 1). This AD mandates the inspection and possible replacement of the Fuel Control Unit (FCU) of affected engines (section 2). The requirement is to inspect the FCU and determine if it is listed in the effectivity sections of P&WC Alert Service Bulletins (ASB) A13341R1 or A14305R1 (section 3). If the FCU is not listed, no further action is needed; however, if it is listed, the inspection and disposition must be carried out according to the respective ASBs (section 3). The AD mandates compliance within a specific timeframe: within 200 flight hours or 120 calendar days from the directive's effective date, and before each flight following the initial inspection (section 4).
The obligations imposed by this AD on the operators of affected aircraft are to ensure that the FCU of the specified P&WC engines is inspected according to the requirements set out in the directive. Operators must verify whether the FCU is listed in the effectivity sections of the referenced ASBs and, if necessary, follow the prescribed inspection and disposition procedures to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. Non-compliance with this directive can result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, thereby preventing flight operations until the required actions are completed.
The AD does not explicitly outline offences or penalties for non-compliance within its text. However, non-compliance with ADs is generally treated as a breach of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. Such breaches can result in civil or criminal penalties under Australian aviation law. Civil penalties may include fines, while criminal penalties can involve imprisonment, depending on the severity and circumstances of the breach. The exact penalties would be determined by the courts in the event of non-compliance, but the potential for serious repercussions underscores the importance of adhering to the AD's requirements.