Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia Parliament, serve to regulate civil aviation safety across the nation. In addressing the specific safety issue of unreadable Aerodata AeroNav II and III Display Units in sunlight, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued Airworthiness Directive AL 1/2001 on 25 January 2001. This legislative instrument aims to rectify the unsafe condition by requiring the removal of affected display units from service and their return to the manufacturer for replacement. The directive mandates compliance by 25 February 2001 for the removal action and immediately upon the directive's effective date for prohibiting the fitting of the specified display units to any aeroplane. This measure was taken to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of aircraft utilising these display units, aligning with the overarching policy objective of maintaining the highest safety standards in civil aviation.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) specified in PART 39 - 107 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to Aerodata Flugmesstechnik GmbH's AeroNav series II/III display units, specifically Model CDU-200 including Revision B, and Model CDU-210 including Revision A, which are installed in various aircraft such as those produced by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Dornier, Eurocopter, Bell Helicopter, and Beech. This directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 and is applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia. The directive mandates that these specific display units be removed from service and returned to the manufacturer for exchange due to an identified safety issue where the displays become unreadable in sunlight. Additionally, these units are prohibited from being fitted to any aeroplane to replace an existing display unit. Compliance with these requirements must be achieved by specified deadlines: removal and return of the units must be completed before 25 February 2001, while the prohibition on fitting the units to any aeroplane must be adhered to as of the effective date of the directive, which is 25 January 2001. This AD was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 20 December 2000.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that applies to certain display units manufactured by Aerodata Flugmesstechnik GmbH. The directive, AD/RAD/70, pertains to Aerodata’s AeroNav II and III display units, model CDU-200 including revision B, and model CDU-210 including revision A (sections 1 and 2). These units are used in various aircraft, such as those produced by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Dornier, Eurocopter, Bell Helicopter, and Beech Model 200 and 300. The directive mandates that these specific display units must be removed from service and returned to the manufacturer for exchange, as they may become unreadable in sunlight (section 1). Additionally, it prohibits the installation of these specific models to replace an existing display unit on any aircraft (section 2). Compliance with these requirements must be met by specific dates, with the directive becoming effective on 25 January 2001 (section 3). The AD imposes several obligations on the parties and entities governed by the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. Owners and operators of aircraft equipped with the specified AeroNav II and III display units must ensure that these units are removed from service and sent back to the manufacturer for replacement as per the provided Aerodata Flugmesstechnik GmbH Service Bulletins SB-AN-34-0100E and SB-AN-34-0200E. This action must be completed before 25 February 2001 for the removal and return of the units, and immediately upon the effective date of the directive for the prohibition on reinstallation of these specific models (section 3). The directive also stipulates that these particular display units should not be used to replace existing units on any aircraft from the moment the directive takes effect (section 2). Failure to comply with the provisions of this Airworthiness Directive may result in serious safety concerns and potential legal repercussions. Although the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed within the directive, breaches of Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 can generally lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions might include fines, mandatory corrective actions, or other regulatory measures. The severity of these penalties can vary based on the nature and extent of the non-compliance.