Explanatory Statement
Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998
AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 — Main Rotor Spindle
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), the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (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. When a foreign State of Design issued an AD before 1 October 2009 for a type of aircraft on the Australian Register, CASA, as Australia’s national airworthiness authority, must assess that information and, if appropriate, issue an Australian AD to mandate the requirements of the foreign State of Design. AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 applies to the Robinson Helicopter Company R22 Series helicopters.
The United States of America Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued AD 88‑26-01R2 affecting Robinson Helicopter Company R22 series helicopters in 1990. The United States of America is the State of Design for this helicopter type. CASA subsequently issued AD/R22/30 Amdt 5 to mandate the requirements of FAA AD 88‑26-01R2. As a result of a request from industry, CASA has issued AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 to clarify that the AD does not apply to later manufactured main rotor blade spindles with part number A158-3. This AD repeals and replaces the previous AD on this subject.
Documents Incorporated by Reference
The AD incorporates by reference Robinson Helicopter Company Service Bulletin No. 60A, as in force from time to time, which provides instructions for the rework of main rotor blade spindles and journal replacement. The document is freely available at the following internet address:
https://robinsonheli.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/r22_sb60.pdf
The AD also refers to, but does not incorporate, Robinson Helicopter Company Service Letter SL-68 which confirms that new part number A158-3 main rotor blade spindles are available to which the CASA and FAA ADs do not apply. The document is freely available at the following internet address:
https://robinsonheli.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/r22_sl68.pdf
Lastly, the AD refers to but does not incorporate, FAA AD 88-26-01R2, which is consistent with CASA AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 and which is freely available at the following internet address:
https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/14227C9C7AFA225B86256A4E00473275?OpenDocument&Highlight=88-26-01
Consultation
This AD is being made at the request of industry, in particular an operator of the Robinson Helicopter Company R22 series helicopters. As this AD amendment is of a minor or machinery nature and does not substantially alter existing arrangements apart from clarifying the inapplicability of the AD to a later manufactured part, 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 4 March 2020.
[Instrument number AD/R22/30 Amdt 6]
Attachment 1
Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights
Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011
AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 — Main Rotor Spindle
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
The United States of America Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued AD 88‑26‑01R2 affecting Robinson Helicopter Company R22 series helicopters in 1990. The United States of America is the State of Design for this helicopter type. CASA subsequently issued AD/R22/30 Amdt 5 to mandate the requirements of FAA AD 88‑26‑01R2. As a result of a request from industry, CASA has repealed and replaced AD/R22/30 Amdt 6 to clarify the inapplicability of the AD to a later manufactured part.
The primary purpose of this legislative instrument is to confirm the availability of later manufactured parts to which the AD does not apply.
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