Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, under Part 39, encompass a range of safety measures aimed at ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft operating within Australia. Specifically, Airworthiness Directive AD/SD3-30/46 addresses the critical issue of the deterioration and corrosion of the main landing gear aft pintle pin bushes in SD3-30 series aeroplanes. Enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), this directive was introduced to rectify an unsafe condition identified in these aircraft, which had been linked to an accident where the landing gear failed to fully extend and lock. The policy objective is to mitigate such risks by mandating specific maintenance actions to be undertaken by the aircraft operators, thereby enhancing overall aviation safety. This Airworthiness Directive mandates that the action specified in the Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-32-122 be implemented for all SD3-30 aircraft. The directive requires this action to occur at the next “D” Check following 7 August 2003 or before 30 April 2005, whichever is earlier. The directive was made effective on 7 August 2003, highlighting the urgency and importance of addressing this safety concern.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, applies to all SD3-30 aircraft, necessitating specific maintenance actions to rectify an identified safety concern. The directive mandates that the required action, as outlined in Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-32-122, be carried out concerning the main landing gear aft pintle pin bushes. This action must be performed during the next scheduled "D" Check, with a compliance deadline set for the earlier of 30 April 2005 or the next "D" Check following the directive's effective date of 7 August 2003. The directive was prompted by an incident where the main landing gear failed to fully extend and lock due to deterioration and corrosion of the aft pintle pin bushes, as well as a high incidence of landing gear indication problems associated with such deterioration. The directive applies across the Commonwealth of Australia, as CASA is the regulatory body for civil aviation safety on a national level. No specific exclusions or exemptions are mentioned in the text of this directive.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/SD3-30/46, issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), is applicable to all SD3-30 series aeroplanes and mandates specific action concerning the main landing gear aft pintle pin bushes (paragraph 1). The directive requires that the maintenance action detailed in Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-32-12 be carried out (paragraph 2). This action must occur during the next "D" Check following 7 August 2003, but no later than 30 April 2005 (paragraph 3). The directive became effective on 7 August 2003 (paragraph 4). The directive's aim is to address an unsafe condition resulting from the deterioration and corrosion of the aft pintle pin bushes, which had led to landing gear malfunctions (paragraph 5). Under the AD, the parties or entities governed, which in this case would include aircraft operators and maintenance providers, must ensure that the specified maintenance action is performed on the affected aircraft (paragraph 6). This involves following the detailed instructions provided in Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-32-12 to rectify the identified issues with the main landing gear aft pintle pin bushes (paragraph 7). Compliance with the AD is mandatory and must be achieved within the specified timeframe, as failure to adhere to the directive could result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy (paragraph 8). Failure to comply with the requirements of the AD could result in significant consequences (paragraph 9). While the specific penalties are not detailed in the AD itself, the broader legislative framework under which the AD operates includes provisions for both civil and criminal penalties (paragraph 10). Civil penalties could include fines, while criminal penalties could result in imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of non-compliance with aviation safety directives (paragraph 11). The exact penalties would be determined based on the applicable laws and the circumstances of the breach (paragraph 12).