COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Radio Communication and Navigation Equipment
AD/RAD/65 VN 411B VHF Navigation Receiver 8/99
Applicability: AlliedSignal (formerly Bendix and Bendix/King) VN 411B Very High frequency (VHF) Navigation Receivers as follows:
BPN 3614004-4101 - all serial numbers, at Modification Status 18, 19 or 20;
BPN/KPN 3614004-4101/066-1101-00 - all serial numbers, at Modification Status 18, 19 or 20;
P/N 066-1101-00 - serial numbers up to and including 4229, at Modification Status 18, 19 or 20; and
P/N 066-1101-31, -40 or -50 - serial numbers up to and including 10799, at Modification Status 19 or 20.
Note: These VHF Navigation Receivers are known to be fitted to, but not limited to, the following aircraft models:
Learjet 31A Fokker F27-50 BAe ATP
Requirement: 1. Incorporate Modification 21 in accordance with either AlliedSignal Aerospace, Commercial Avionics Systems, Bendix/King Service Bulletin (SB) VN 411B-21 dated November 1996 or SB VN 411-21 Revision 1 dated April 1997.
2. VN 411 VHF Navigation Receivers listed in the Applicability Statement of this Directive that do not have Modification 21 incorporated must not be installed on any aeroplane.
Note: FAA AD 99-12-06 Amdt 39-11190 refers.
Compliance: 1. Either, within 90 calendar days after the effective date of this Directive or upon replacement or repair of the VHF Navigation Receiver, whichever occurs first.
2. As of the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 12 August 1999.
Background: The United States Federal Aviation Administration has received reports of interference to the navigation receiver during landing operations. This Directive is intended to prevent interference from frequency modulated radio stations, which could cause both distortion of the navigation audio and deflection from the desired flight path.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 107, incorporates a range of safety directives aimed at maintaining the airworthiness of aircraft and their components. Enacted by the Australian Parliament, this legislative instrument addresses critical safety concerns in civil aviation, ensuring that aircraft and their systems meet stringent safety standards. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were established to provide a comprehensive framework for the regulation of civil aviation safety in Australia, addressing gaps in previous legislation by consolidating and updating aviation safety standards. One such directive, AD/RAD/65, targets specific models of VHF Navigation Receivers used in various aircraft, such as the Learjet 31A, Fokker F27-50, and BAe ATP. This directive was introduced to mitigate the risk of interference and ensure the receivers' functionality, thereby enhancing overall flight safety.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically addressing the AlliedSignal (formerly Bendix and Bendix/King) VN 411B Very High Frequency (VHF) Navigation Receivers, which are installed in certain aircraft models such as the Learjet 31A, Fokker F27-50, and BAe ATP. The directive applies to specific serial numbers of the VN 411B receivers at certain modification statuses, mandating the incorporation of Modification 21 to address reported instances of interference during landing operations. This interference could potentially cause navigation audio distortion and deviation from the intended flight path. Compliance with the directive requires that the specified modifications be implemented within 90 days of its effective date or upon replacement or repair of the affected receivers, ensuring that any unmodified receivers are not installed on aeroplanes as of the directive's effective date. This directive, which became effective on 12 August 1999, is part of the broader regulatory framework aimed at maintaining the safety and reliability of aviation equipment.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (Cth) include specific provisions for airworthiness directives that govern the maintenance and operation of certain aviation equipment. In this case, AD/RAD/65 pertains to the AlliedSignal (formerly Bendix and Bendix/King) VN 411B VHF Navigation Receivers (sections 1–2). These receivers, with specific part numbers and serial ranges, are required to incorporate Modification 21, as per the specified service bulletins (section 1). Failure to incorporate this modification means the receivers cannot be installed on any aircraft (section 2). The directive mandates compliance either within 90 calendar days from its effective date or upon replacement or repair of the receiver, whichever comes first (section 3).
Entities governed by this Act must ensure that their VN 411B VHF Navigation Receivers meet the specified modification requirements. This includes aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance service providers who need to verify that the receivers in question are either updated to Modification 21 or removed from service if they do not meet the criteria (section 3). Additionally, any replacement or repair of the receivers must comply with the directive's requirements to maintain airworthiness.
Failure to comply with the airworthiness directive may result in legal consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce compliance and may take action against non-compliant entities. While specific penalties are not detailed in the directive itself, non-compliance with CASA directives can generally lead to enforcement actions, fines, or other regulatory penalties under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth) (section 4). The severity of these penalties can depend on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, as well as any resulting safety risks.