AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 - Main Rotor Blades

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2015L00232 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Explanatory Statement

 

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

 

AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 — Main Rotor Blades

 

Under section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act), the Governor-General may make regulations for the Act and in the interests of the safety of air navigation. Under regulation 39.001 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998), CASA may issue airworthiness directives (ADs) for kinds of aircraft or aeronautical products. 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. Therefore, this AD is a legislative instrument.

 

The NZ CAA received a report of a crack in the trailing edge of a R44 main rotor blade and published Continuing Airworthiness Notice (CAN) 62-003 on 26 January 2015. On 23 February 2015, Robinson Helicopter Company published a Safety Alert instructing operators to inspect the main rotor blades on a daily basis.

The NZ CAA initially issued AD DCA/R44/31 in response to an accident which appeared to involve a similar main rotor failure, immediately grounding the R44 fleet.

After further investigation revealed that the accident was not caused by the same problem, the NZ CAA subsequently issued AD DCA/R44/32, superseding DCA/R44/31 and mandating the requirements of Robinson Helicopter R44 Safety Alert dated 23 February 2015. The NZ CAA has now issued DCA/R44/32A superseding DCA/R44/32 and amending the inspection intervals.

CASA issued AD/R44/25 to mandate a visual inspection in accordance with Robinson Helicopter R44 Safety Alert dated 23 February 2015 before every flight. As a result of ongoing investigations, CASA is issuing AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 which changes the inspection interval requirements to:

(a) For charter operations, every second flight or at each engine shutdown, whichever occurs earlier.

(b) For any other type of operation, every 1.5 flight hours or at each engine shut down, which-ever occurs earlier.

This AD repeals and replaces the previous AD on this subject.

The State of Design for this type, the United States of America, has issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) SW-15-08, dated 23 February 2015, an advisory document based on NZ CAA CAN 62-003. As there are many examples of the R44 helicopter on the Australian register, CASA has developed an AD to address the problem on Australian rotorcraft.

Consultation

Consultation has not taken place as required under the LIA because the instrument was issued to deal with emergency circumstances.

 

Making and commencement

The AD has been made by a delegate of CASA relying on the power of delegation under subregulation 11.260 (1) of CASR 1998 and subsection 94 (1) of the Act.

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.

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

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

 

The instrument commences on the day of registration.

 

[Instrument number AD/R44/25 Amdt 1]

Attachment 1

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

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

 

AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 – Main Rotor Blades

 

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 legislative instrument is an airworthiness directive (AD). AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 has been issued to ensure to correct an identified unsafe condition in Robinson R44 main rotor blades part number C016-7. AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 requires operators to conduct a detailed visual inspection of the trailing edge of the main rotor blade in accordance with Robinson Safety Alert issued 23 February 2015 and reduces the inspection interval previously required by AD/R44/25.

 

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

Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to ensure the safety of air navigation in Australia. The authority to issue airworthiness directives (ADs) under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act) is derived from section 98, empowering the Governor-General to make regulations for the Act. Regulation 39.001 of the CASR 1998 specifically allows the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue ADs for types of aircraft or aeronautical products. AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 is a legislative instrument issued by CASA to address an identified unsafe condition in the main rotor blades of Robinson R44 helicopters, responding to reports of cracks in the trailing edge of the blades. This amendment reduces the inspection interval for these blades, aiming to enhance safety by requiring more frequent visual inspections, particularly for charter operations and other types of flight activities. The policy objective of this directive is to mitigate potential safety risks by ensuring regular and thorough inspections of the specified helicopter parts.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 Amendment (Main Rotor Blades) Instrument 2015 (AD/R44/25 Amdt 1) applies to all operators of Robinson R44 helicopters registered in Australia, encompassing both commercial and private operators. It mandates specific inspection requirements for the main rotor blades to address safety concerns identified by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority and Robinson Helicopter Company. The regulation applies nationally within Australia and is issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) acting as the regulatory body. The AD does not exclude any specific persons or entities but targets the broader helicopter operating community to ensure airworthiness and safety in line with international standards. The directive extends its application through subordinate instruments, which are subject to further amendments as investigations and safety assessments progress. The instrument is a legislative instrument and comes into effect on the day of its registration.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) provide the framework for airworthiness directives (ADs) which are legislative instruments aimed at ensuring the safety of air navigation. Regulation 39.001 allows the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue ADs for kinds of aircraft or aeronautical products. AD/R44/25 Amdt 1, specifically addressing the Robinson R44 main rotor blades, is one such AD. It mandates detailed visual inspections of the trailing edge of the main rotor blade to correct an identified unsafe condition. For charter operations, the AD requires inspections every second flight or at each engine shutdown, whichever occurs first. For other operations, inspections are required every 1.5 flight hours or at each engine shutdown, whichever comes first (sections 39.001 and AD/R44/25 Amdt 1). Operators of the Robinson R44 must comply with the inspection requirements set out in the AD. This includes conducting a visual inspection of the trailing edge of the main rotor blade before every flight, following the guidelines provided in the Robinson Helicopter R44 Safety Alert dated 23 February 2015. Operators must ensure that these inspections are performed diligently to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft. Additionally, operators must keep records of all inspections and any findings, and report any identified issues to CASA promptly (AD/R44/25 Amdt 1). Failure to comply with the requirements of AD/R44/25 Amdt 1 may result in serious safety implications, potentially leading to grounding of the aircraft. While the AD itself does not explicitly detail penalties, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. This could include fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, and other regulatory penalties. Such actions are intended to ensure that safety standards are maintained to protect the public and aviation personnel (subsections 98(5B) and (5BA) of the Act).

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.