COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety 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 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.
Pratt and Whitney Canada Turbine Engines - PT6A Series
AD/PT6A/33 Compressor Rear Hub - Life Limit Review 9/2003
DM
Applicability: All Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6B-36A, and PT6B-36B series engines.
Requirement: 1. Review and correct the critical part records for Compressor Rear Hub part number (P/N) 3018111 in accordance with P&WC Service Bulletin (SB) PT6B- 72-11002 Revision 8, dated 11 June 2003.
2. Remove from service any Compressor Rear Hub found, in compliance with Requirement 1, to have exceeded the published life limit contained in P&WC SB PT6B-72-11002 Revision 8, dated 11 June 2003.
Note: Transport Canada AD CF-2003-16 refers.
Compliance: For Requirement 1: Within 30 days or at next engine shop visit, whichever is the sooner, from the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 2: Before further flight. However, in the event that the part cannot be replaced due to the location of the aircraft, the aircraft may be operated to a facility where the part is to be replaced within 25 cycles or 25 flight hours, whichever occurs soonest, following compliance with Requirement 1.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 30 July 2003.
Background: A recent review of PW&C SB PT6B-72-11002 found an error in the Flight Count Factor (FAF) criteria used in calculating critical life limits of the Compressor Hub P/N 3018111. One engine was found to have exceeded the life limit using the corrected FAF. This Directive therefore requires a review to correct the critical parts record of Compressor Hub’s having P/N 3018111 and to remove them from service if it is calculated that they have exceeded the critical life limit using the amended FAF number.
Jim Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 24 July 2003
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 30 July 2003.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the operation and maintenance of aircraft. The regulations aim to maintain a high standard of safety by imposing requirements on aircraft and aeronautical products, including the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) to address safety concerns. One such AD, AD/PT6A/33, was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on 24 July 2003, in response to an identified issue with the Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6B-36A and PT6B-36B series engines. This AD, which became effective on 30 July 2003, was prompted by an error in the Flight Count Factor (FCF) criteria used in calculating the critical life limits of the Compressor Rear Hub part number (P/N) 3018111. The policy objective of this AD was to correct the critical parts records for the specified Compressor Rear Hub and to remove from service any hubs found to have exceeded the corrected life limit, ensuring the continued airworthiness and safety of the affected aircraft.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, particularly Part 39 - 106, applies to all Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6B-36A, and PT6B-36B series engines. This regulation was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address an identified unsafe condition relating to the Compressor Rear Hub of these engines. The requirement mandates that critical part records be reviewed and corrected, and that any Compressor Rear Hub part number 3018111 found to have exceeded its life limit be removed from service. This AD applies nationally across Australia and is effective from 30 July 2003. The compliance timeframes specified in the AD allow for flexibility, requiring the critical parts records review within 30 days from the AD's effective date or at the next engine shop visit, and the removal of any non-compliant parts before further flight, with a transitional allowance for limited operation if immediate replacement is not feasible. The AD does not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions and is applicable to all relevant engines within the specified series.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), specifically Part 39, Section 106, address the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This section empowers CASA to issue directives that require specific actions to be taken to rectify unsafe conditions in aircraft or aeronautical products. An example of such a directive is AD/PT6A/33, which pertains to Pratt and Whitney Canada Turbine Engines of the PT6B-36A and PT6B-36B series. This AD mandates a review and correction of critical part records for the Compressor Rear Hub part number (P/N) 3018111 in accordance with Pratt and Whitney Canada Service Bulletin (SB) PT6B-72-11002 Revision 8, dated 11 June 2003. Additionally, any Compressor Rear Hub found to have exceeded the published life limit must be removed from service.
The AD imposes specific obligations on the entities it governs. For Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6B-36A and PT6B-36B series engine operators, the directive requires them to review and correct the critical part records of their Compressor Rear Hub components within 30 days or at the next engine shop visit, whichever is sooner. This involves ensuring that the records are updated in accordance with the latest Service Bulletin from P&WC. If, after the review, it is found that any Compressor Rear Hub has exceeded the life limit, it must be removed from service before the next flight. If immediate removal is not possible due to the aircraft's location, the aircraft may be operated to a facility where the part can be replaced, but this must occur within 25 cycles or 25 flight hours following compliance with the AD.
Failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directive can lead to severe consequences. The directive clearly states that non-compliance with the requirements set out in AD/PT6A/33 could result in the continued operation of an unsafe aircraft, thereby posing significant risks to aviation safety. Although the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the directive itself, general aviation safety regulations typically impose fines, suspension of operations, or other enforcement actions against entities that fail to adhere to ADs. In extreme cases, civil or criminal liability may also apply, depending on the circumstances and the impact of the non-compliance on flight safety.