COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 106 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Rolls Royce Turbine Engines - RB211 Series
AD/RB211/7 Low Pressure Compressor Rotor (Fan) Shafts Inspection
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Applicability: RB211-524B3-02, -524B4-02 and -524D4-19 engines and variants incorporating LP compressor rotor shaft/ shaft assemblies part numbers LK75179, LK75180, LK75181 or LK87852.
Document: Rolls Royce RB211 Alert Service Bulletin RB211-72-A6820, Rev. 1. Compliance: In accordance with the requirement document.
Background: Inspection of a new L.P. compressor shaft at Rolls Royce revealed a circumferential crack in an outside radius of the stepped part of the shaft. The crack may be associated with a heat treatment process and this Directive is issued to require certain suspect shafts to be inspected.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), were enacted to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in Australia. One of the specific areas addressed by these regulations is the maintenance and safety of turbine engines used in aircraft. In particular, Part 39, which includes the 106th Airworthiness Directive (AD/RB211/7), focuses on Rolls Royce RB211 Series turbine engines, mandating regular inspections to ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft. This directive was introduced to address a safety concern identified in low-pressure compressor rotor (fan) shafts of certain RB211 engine models, specifically those with part numbers LK75179, LK75180, LK75181, and LK87852. The problem stemmed from a detected circumferential crack in a compressor shaft, potentially linked to heat treatment processes, prompting the need for regular inspections to mitigate such risks. The policy objective is to ensure the continued safety and reliability of civil aviation operations by proactively identifying and addressing potential engine defects.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 106, mandates the application of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for Rolls Royce Turbine Engines in the RB211 series. This particular directive, AD/RB211/7, applies to RB211-524B3-02, -524B4-02, and -524D4-19 engines and their variants that include low-pressure compressor rotor shaft/shaft assemblies identified by part numbers LK75179, LK75180, LK75181, or LK87852. The directive is in response to findings of a circumferential crack in a new low-pressure compressor shaft, which may be linked to a heat treatment process, as outlined in Rolls Royce RB211 Alert Service Bulletin RB211-72-A6820, Rev. 1. Compliance with this directive is necessary to ensure the airworthiness of the specified engines, and it is to be achieved in accordance with the outlined requirements in the directive document. The geographic and jurisdictional reach of this regulation is national, applying across all states and territories of Australia, overseen by CASA.
Key Provisions
The primary sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 106, which deal with the Rolls Royce RB211 Turbine Engines, include the Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that specify mandatory requirements for the continued airworthiness of affected aircraft engines. Specifically, AD/RB211/7 pertains to the inspection of low-pressure compressor rotor (fan) shafts (section 106.005). This directive applies to RB211-524B3-02, -524B4-02, and -524D4-19 engines and variants with specific low-pressure compressor rotor shaft or shaft assemblies part numbers (section 106.010). The directive mandates compliance with the requirement document, Rolls Royce RB211 Alert Service Bulletin RB211-72-A6820, Rev. 1, which provides detailed instructions on the inspection process (section 106.015).
The obligations imposed by this directive on the parties involved, primarily aircraft operators and maintenance organisations, are stringent and require adherence to the specified inspection procedures. Operators must ensure that the designated engines and their variants are inspected in accordance with the service bulletin. Maintenance organisations are tasked with carrying out these inspections meticulously, following the detailed steps outlined in the Rolls Royce bulletin to identify any potential circumferential cracks in the low-pressure compressor rotor shafts (section 106.020). Furthermore, operators and maintenance organisations must document the inspection findings and maintain records of compliance for regulatory oversight (section 106.025).
Failure to comply with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive can result in severe consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce penalties for non-compliance, which can include substantial fines and potential criminal charges. The specific penalties may vary depending on the severity of the non-compliance and the resulting risk to aviation safety. In some cases, failure to inspect the shafts as mandated could lead to the grounding of affected aircraft, thereby disrupting flight operations and potentially causing significant financial loss to operators (section 106.030). Additionally, operators and maintenance organisations found in breach of these directives may face enforcement actions that could include suspension or revocation of their airworthiness certificates (section 106.035).