Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

AD/PZL/5 Amdt 3 - Centre Wing to Outboard Wing Attachment Joints

Legislation

Under section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act), the Governor-General may make regulations for the purpose of carrying out and giving effect to the provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation relating to safety, amongst other things. Under regulation 39.001 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), CASA may issue an airworthiness directive (AD) for a kind of aircraft or aeronautical product. Under subsections 98 (5B) and (5BA) of the Act, an AD is a legislative instrument unless it is expressed to apply in relation to a particular person, a particular aircraft or a particular aeronautical product.

Under subsection 33 (3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument of a legislative or administrative character (including rules, regulations or by-laws), the power shall be construed as including a power exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like conditions (if any) to repeal, rescind, revoke, amend, or vary any such instrument.

Under Annex 8 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the State of Design has overall responsibility for continuing airworthiness of an aircraft type, and must provide any information necessary to ensure the continuing airworthiness of a type to appropriate States of Registry. ADs (and their equivalents) are the most common form of continuing airworthiness information, and are issued by most International Civil Aviation Organization Contracting States.

The State of Registry of an individual aircraft is responsible for its continuing airworthiness. Under Annex 8, the State of Registry must develop or adopt requirements to ensure the continuing airworthiness of aircraft.

CASA issued AD/PZL/5 Amdt 2 to correct an unsafe situation on PZL M18 aircraft in 2013. The Directive was issued because of local reports of cracking of the bore in the joint and the issue of an Airworthiness Directive by the FAA following 2 instances of in-flight wing separations, where severe corrosion and pitting led to high stress concentrations on the wing attachment joints. The State of Design for this type, The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), has not yet taken action to correct this unsafe condition. As there are several examples of the type on the Australian register, CASA has developed an AD to correct the problem on Australian aircraft. As a result of a request from industry, CASA has issued AD/PZL/5 Amdt 3 to clarify the repetitive inspection intervals mandated by the AD. This AD repeals and replaces the previous AD on this subject.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

• PZL Mielec Airplane Description and Service Manual Revision 74 dated 15 October 1996
• PZL Service Bulletin E/02.170/2000 dated 3 August 2000

Technical documents referred to in this AD are proprietary, copyright, fee-for-service documents, prepared on a commercial basis. They may be purchased from the aircraft or component manufacturer by subscription.

As a matter of practicality, it would not be possible for aircraft operators to operate aircraft in Australian and foreign airspace without having their own subscription access to relevant aircraft or engine manufacturer documentation, such as the Service Bulletins or Airplane Description and service Manual. Nevertheless, as a current subscriber for the documents, CASA will make the relevant sections of the incorporated documents available, in its Canberra or regional offices, by arrangement, and, in keeping with the proprietary nature of the documents, for viewing only, to any aircraft operator who is affected by the direction instrument, or to any interested person.

Consultation

This AD is being made at the request of industry, in particular an operator of the PZL M18 series aircraft. As this AD amendment is of a minor or machinery nature and does not substantially alter existing arrangements apart from clarifying the repetitive inspection intervals mandated by the AD, it is CASA’s view that it was not necessary or appropriate to undertake any further consultation under section 17 of the Legislation Act 2003.

Regulation Impact Statement

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is not required because ADs are covered by a standing agreement between CASA and the Office of Best Practice Regulation under which a RIS is not required for ADs (OBPR id. 14507).

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment 1.

Making and commencement

The instrument has been made by a delegate of CASA relying on the power of delegation under subregulation 11.260 (1) of CASR and subsection 94 (1) of the Act.

The instrument commences on 27 November 2018.

[Instrument number AD/PZL/5 Amdt 3]

Attachment 1

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

AD/PZL/5 Amdt 3 - Centre Wing to Outboard Wing Attachment Joints

This legislative instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Overview of the legislative instrument

CASA issued AD/PZL/5 Amdt 2 affecting PZL M18 series aeroplanes in 2013. The State of Design for this type, EASA, has not yet taken action to correct this unsafe condition. As there are several examples of the type on the Australian register, CASA has developed an AD to correct the problem on Australian aircraft. As a result of a request from industry, CASA has repealed and replaced AD/PZL/5 Amdt 2 to clarify the repetitive inspection intervals mandated by the AD.

The primary purpose of this legislative instrument is to clarify the repetitive inspection intervals of the AD.

Human rights implications

This legislative instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

Conclusion

This legislative instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority