COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Restraint Equipment
AD/RES/24 Aeronautique Seat Belts and Harnesses 12/89
Applicability: All seat belts and harnesses manufactured or repaired by Aeronautique Equipment, Toowoomba, Queensland, other than those used in agricultural aircraft.
Requirement: Remove from service any seat belt or harness which has been purchased since 1 January, 1989 and which uses 46 mm wide webbing coloured black or brown.
Note: A sample of the incorrect webbing can be inspected at any CAA Airworthiness Field Office.
Compliance: Prior to 1 January, 1990.
Background: Investigations have revealed that Aeronautique Equipment has been using incorrect webbing for the repair of manufacturer of seat belts and harnesses. Such belts may be labelled JAB 1000. The incorrect webbing, which is not suitable for seat belts is 46 mm wide and either black or brown in colour. The acceptable webbing used by Aeronautique is 44 mm wide and blue in colour.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 107, addresses issues surrounding the airworthiness of aircraft components, including restraint equipment. This piece of legislation was enacted to ensure that all aircraft and their components meet safety standards, and it was introduced to address the problem of non-compliant seat belts and harnesses produced by Aeronautique Equipment. The objective of the policy is to mitigate safety risks by ensuring that only equipment meeting specified standards is used in civil aviation. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the enacting body responsible for regulating and overseeing compliance with these directives, thereby enhancing the safety and reliability of aviation operations within Australia. The Act mandates the removal from service of any seat belts or harnesses using incorrect webbing, emphasising the importance of adherence to safety standards.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, pertain to Airworthiness Directives that establish mandatory requirements for ensuring the safety of aircraft and related equipment. Under this legislation, AD/RES/24 focuses on seat belts and harnesses manufactured or repaired by Aeronautique Equipment, Toowoomba, Queensland, with the exclusion of those used in agricultural aircraft. This directive requires the removal from service of any seat belt or harness that has been purchased since 1 January 1989 and uses 46 mm wide webbing coloured black or brown. Compliance with this directive must be achieved before 1 January 1990. The directive is grounded in investigations that identified the use of incorrect webbing by Aeronautique, which is unsuitable for the intended application and can be verified by inspecting a sample of the incorrect webbing at any CAA Airworthiness Field Office. This regulation is an application of the broader legislative framework designed to ensure the highest safety standards within the aviation industry.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 107, detail specific Airworthiness Directives (ADs) for maintaining aircraft safety, with AD/RES/24 focusing on restraint equipment (section 1). This AD specifically pertains to seat belts and harnesses manufactured or repaired by Aeronautique Equipment in Toowoomba, Queensland, excluding those used in agricultural aircraft (section 2). The key requirement is that any seat belt or harness made or repaired by Aeronautique since 1 January, 1989, that uses 46 mm wide webbing coloured black or brown, must be removed from service (section 3).
The obligations imposed by this AD require Aeronautique Equipment to ensure that any seat belts or harnesses produced or repaired since the specified date and using the incorrect webbing are identified and removed from service (section 4). The directive mandates that this compliance must be achieved prior to 1 January, 1990 (section 5). Furthermore, Aeronautique Equipment must facilitate inspections at CAA Airworthiness Field Offices where a sample of the incorrect webbing can be examined (section 6).
Failure to comply with the AD/RES/24 may result in significant consequences. The regulations imply that non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to severe penalties. While specific penalties are not detailed within this excerpt, it is understood that breaches of airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, which may include fines and other legal repercussions (section 7). The safety implications of non-compliance could also lead to grounding of aircraft and other safety-related sanctions, ensuring the paramount importance of adherence to these directives (section 8).