COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Radio Communication and Navigation Equipment
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
AD/RAD/73 Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel
10/2001
DM
Applicability: Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel Part Numbers 622-6523-204, 622-6523-205, 622-6523-206, 622-6523-207, and 622-6523-208 (serial numbers as
specified in Rockwell Collins Service Bulletin [SB] 33 [CTL-92-34-33], dated 5 April 2001).
Note 1: These CTL-92 transponder control panels are known be installed in, but not limited to, the following aircraft:
Aerospatiale ATR42 and ATR72 series aeroplanes Saab Aircraft Models 340B and SF340A aeroplanes Embraer EMB-120 series aeroplanes
de Havilland DHC-8 series aeroplanes
Raytheon Models C90A, B200, 350, and 1900D aeroplanes.
Requirement: 1. Modify the altitude encoder inputs of the CTL-92 transponder control panels in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions section of Rockwell Collins SB 33 (CTL-92-34-33).
2. CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel, with the part number serial number combination listed in SB 33 (CTL-92-34-33), may not be installed on any aeroplane unless it has been modified in accordance with Requirement 1.
Note 2: FAA AD 2001-15-17 Amdt 39-12352 refers.
Compliance: For Requirement 1 - Within the next 10 hours time-in-service from the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 2 - As of the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 20 August 2001.
Background: The United States Federal Aviation Administration has received reports of erroneous Mode C and Mode S random transponder transmissions from aircraft equipped with Gillham encoded altitude sources and certain Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panels. Rockwell Collins introduced new A6 circuit cards for these transponder control panels in September 2000.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
These circuit cards exhibit reduced ground integrity in the area of the Gillham input processing. This results in noise generation within the CTL-92 control panels that the transponder can interpret and transmit as a random altitude. Air traffic control and traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS)-equipped aircraft can interpret these erroneous random altitudes as valid altitudes.
This Directive requires modification of the altitude encoder inputs of the CTL-92. This action is intended to prevent erroneous altitude interpretations, which could result in reduced vertical separation or unsafe TCAS resolution advisories.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 6 August 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 15 August 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), were enacted to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia, including the regulation of airworthiness directives. An Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, when an unsafe condition is identified in an aircraft or aeronautical product. The AD/RAD/73 specifically addresses the Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel, which has been found to generate erroneous Mode C and Mode S random transponder transmissions. This can lead to unsafe conditions in air traffic control and TCAS-equipped aircraft, which may interpret these random altitudes as valid altitudes. The AD mandates modifications to the altitude encoder inputs of the affected CTL-92 transponder control panels to prevent such erroneous interpretations and maintain safe separation between aircraft. The directive became effective on 20 August 2001, and compliance is required within the next 10 hours of time-in-service for the modification requirement, and immediately for the prohibition of unmodified installations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107 concerning Airworthiness Directives, apply to the Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panels with specified part numbers and serial numbers, which are installed in certain aircraft models. This legislation is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and applies to aircraft operating within the Commonwealth of Australia. The directive mandates modifications to the altitude encoder inputs of the specified CTL-92 transponder control panels to prevent erroneous altitude transmissions that could compromise air traffic control and safety systems. The directive applies to the listed aircraft types, and the modifications must be carried out within a specified timeframe after the directive's effective date. The directive also references a corresponding Federal Aviation Administration directive, indicating a collaborative approach to aviation safety. The application of this Airworthiness Directive is binding and must be adhered to by operators of the affected aircraft.
Key Provisions
This legislative instrument, specifically the Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/RAD/73 issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, pertains to Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panels (sections 10/2001 DM). The AD applies to specific part numbers and serial numbers of these transponder control panels as outlined in Rockwell Collins Service Bulletin 33 (CTL-92-34-33) dated 5 April 2001. It is pertinent to note that these control panels are known to be installed in certain aircraft models, including the Aerospatiale ATR42 and ATR72 series, Saab Aircraft Models 340B and SF340A, Embraer EMB-120 series, de Havilland DHC-8 series, and Raytheon Models C90A, B200, 350, and 1900D.
The AD mandates two primary actions. Firstly, it requires modification of the altitude encoder inputs of the CTL-92 transponder control panels in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions provided in Rockwell Collins Service Bulletin 33 (CTL-92-34-33). Secondly, it stipulates that a CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel, specifically identified by its part number and serial number combination in Service Bulletin 33, must not be installed on any aircraft unless it has been modified as per Requirement 1. The directive specifies that compliance with Requirement 1 must be achieved within the next 10 hours of time-in-service from the effective date of this Directive, which is 20 August 2001, and Requirement 2 must be adhered to as of the effective date.
The AD imposes specific obligations on the parties governed by it. These obligations include ensuring that the identified Rockwell Collins CTL-92 Transponder Control Panels are modified as specified to prevent erroneous altitude interpretations, which could lead to reduced vertical separation or unsafe Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) resolution advisories. The directive also mandates that any CTL-92 Transponder Control Panel must not be installed unless it has been modified in accordance with the AD. Non-compliance with these requirements may lead to safety risks and potential legal consequences.
Failure to comply with this AD could result in significant safety hazards, as it aims to prevent erroneous altitude interpretations that could endanger air traffic control and collision avoidance systems. While the AD does not explicitly state civil or criminal penalties for non-compliance, any resulting unsafe conditions or accidents due to non-compliance could lead to severe consequences under other regulations, including potential legal actions, fines, or other sanctions imposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) or other relevant authorities. The severity of these consequences would depend on the specific circumstances and the impact of non-compliance on aviation safety.