AD/SD3-60/22 Amdt 1 - Horizontal Stabilizer Spar Webs

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, were enacted to provide comprehensive regulations concerning the airworthiness of aircraft and to ensure the safety of civil aviation within Australia. This legislative instrument, F2006B06866, specifically amends the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives to address identified safety concerns in SD3-60 series aeroplanes. The Australian Government, through its relevant legislature, established this regulation to enhance aviation safety by mandating specific actions for the maintenance of certain aircraft components. The policy objective is to ensure that aeroplanes meet the required safety standards to protect passengers, crew, and the general public. The recent amendment to the Civil Aviation Regulations, specifically SD3-60 Series Aeroplanes AD/SD3-60/22 Amendment 1, pertains to the horizontal stabilizer spar webs in SD3-60 aircraft models. This amendment responds to additional testing conducted by the manufacturer and updates the compliance requirements to mitigate potential safety risks. The regulation applies to aircraft with specific serial numbers that have surpassed a certain number of flights, requiring inspections and modifications at prescribed intervals. This amendment aims to maintain the integrity and airworthiness of the affected aircraft by ensuring timely and appropriate maintenance actions.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to all models of SD3-60 aircraft with specific serial numbers that have exceeded a certain number of flights. This regulation affects aircraft with serial numbers SH 3601 through SH 3679 inclusive, which must comply if they have exceeded 8000 flights, and aircraft with serial numbers SH 3680 through SH 3691 inclusive and SH 3694, which must comply if they have exceeded 12000 flights. The compliance requirements outlined in this legislative instrument are designed to ensure the airworthiness of the affected aircraft through specific maintenance actions. The scope of this legislation is national, operating under the Commonwealth of Australia and overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The exclusions or exemptions are limited to aircraft that have not yet exceeded the specified flight thresholds. The legislation extends its application through subordinate instruments, which provide further details on the required compliance actions and intervals.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly in Part 39, outline specific requirements and procedures for ensuring the airworthiness of SD3-60 series aeroplanes. The relevant section here is SD3-60/22 Amendment 1, which pertains to the horizontal stabilizer spar webs. This section specifies the applicability and compliance requirements for certain SD3-60 aircraft models based on their serial numbers and flight count. Specifically, it addresses aircraft with serial numbers SH 3601 through SH 3679 that have exceeded 8000 flights and those with serial numbers SH 3680 through SH 3691 inclusive and SH 3694 that have exceeded 12000 flights. The requirement is that these aircraft must comply with the action outlined in Shorts SB SD360-55-11 Rev 3. The Civil Aviation Regulations impose several obligations on the parties involved in maintaining these aircraft. Aircraft owners, operators, and maintenance providers must ensure that the specified SD3-60 aircraft are inspected and modified according to the detailed compliance schedule. For aircraft with serial numbers SH 3601 through SH 3679, compliance must be achieved at the next scheduled inspection for Maintenance Release issue after 31 December 1987, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 1000 flights until the aircraft are modified as per Shorts SB SD360-55-12 Rev 2. For aircraft with serial numbers SH 3680 through SH 3691 and SH 3694, compliance must be achieved at the next scheduled inspection after 31 December 1987, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 1500 flights until they are similarly modified. This compliance schedule ensures that any necessary inspections and modifications are performed in a timely manner to maintain airworthiness. Failure to comply with the provisions set out in the Civil Aviation Regulations, specifically AD/SD3-60/22 Amendment 1, may result in significant consequences. Non-compliance with the required inspections and modifications could lead to safety issues, potentially resulting in aircraft being grounded until the necessary actions are taken. While the specific civil or criminal penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in this excerpt, it is clear that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) takes the enforcement of these regulations seriously. Penalties may include fines, enforcement actions, or other legal measures to ensure that the safety and airworthiness standards are met.