COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Rolls Royce Turbine Engines - RB211 Series
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/RB211/24 and issues the following 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/RB211/24
Amdt 1
HP Turbine Disc - Inspection 3/2001
Applicability: RB211-535 engines as detailed in Rolls Royce Service Bulletin RB.211-72-C817 Revision 2.
Requirement: Inspect high pressure turbine (HPT) discs in accordance with Rolls Royce Service Bulletin RB.211-72-C817 Revision 2.
Note: UK CAA AD 003-12-99 refers.
Compliance: As detailed in the requirement document.
This amendment becomes effective on 22 March 2001.
Background: This Directive was raised to mandate a mid life eddy current inspection of suspect HP turbine discs to detect possible machining faults in the disc air cooling holes. This amendment reflects the manufacturer’s latest revision to the Requirement document. The revision, in part, reduces the compliance time for inspection and increases the number of discs affected to all discs manufactured between 1989 and 1999. The revision also responds to evidence of disc cooling air holes having been damaged by inappropriate cleaning during overhaul.
The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 10 August 2000.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 9 February 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 21 February 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended by the legislative instrument F2006B06555, address safety concerns associated with Rolls Royce RB211 Series turbine engines through specific airworthiness directives. Enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), this legislation was introduced to address the identified risks of potential machining faults in high-pressure turbine (HPT) discs that could compromise the safety of the aircraft. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions to ensure that these engines maintain their airworthiness standards, reflecting a commitment to safety and reliability in civil aviation. The policy objective is to mandate the necessary safety measures to prevent unsafe conditions arising from the specified manufacturing faults, thus ensuring the continued safety of aircraft operations.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 106, pertains to the issuance of Airworthiness Directives by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These directives apply to specific aircraft and aeronautical products, such as the Rolls Royce RB211 Series Turbine Engines as detailed in the given example. The applicability of these directives extends to particular engines and parts, as specified in the Rolls Royce Service Bulletin, with this instance focusing on RB211-535 engines and requiring inspections of high-pressure turbine (HPT) discs. The requirements are set out in the Rolls Royce Service Bulletin RB.211-72-C817 Revision 2, which includes specific inspection procedures to address identified safety concerns, such as possible machining faults and damage to air cooling holes. Compliance with these directives is mandatory and must be achieved within the timeframes specified in the requirement document. The directive's geographic and jurisdictional reach is national, applying throughout the Commonwealth of Australia. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in the provided text, and the directive's application is enforced by CASA, which may extend or restrict its application through subordinate instruments as necessary.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, establish a framework for ensuring the safety of aviation operations. Section 39.1 (1) empowers the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that mandate specific actions to address unsafe conditions in aircraft or aeronautical products. The AD in question, AD/RB211/24 Amendment 1, specifically targets Rolls Royce RB211-535 engines, which were produced between 1989 and 1999. This directive was issued to mandate an inspection of high-pressure turbine (HPT) discs to detect potential machining faults in the disc air cooling holes. The inspection must be conducted in accordance with Rolls Royce Service Bulletin RB.211-72-C817 Revision 2, which details the procedures and compliance timeframes for this inspection.
The obligations imposed by this Airworthiness Directive are clear and specific. Operators and owners of aircraft equipped with the specified RB211-535 engines must ensure that the HPT discs are inspected as per the requirements outlined in the Rolls Royce Service Bulletin. This inspection is crucial to identify any damage or defects that may compromise the safety of the aircraft during operation. The directive also mandates that the inspection be carried out within the timeframes specified in the requirement document, which reflects the latest revisions aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of these engines.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive can result in significant consequences. While the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly detail the penalties for non-compliance in this context, general provisions within the regulations suggest that non-compliance with ADs can lead to severe penalties. Such penalties could include fines, suspension or revocation of aircraft certificates of airworthiness, and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance leads to an incident or accident. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the ADs issued by CASA to maintain the highest safety standards in aviation.