COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes
AD/SF340/44 Propeller Brake Valve 10/94
Applicability: All SF 340A S/N 004 through 159 and SF 340B S/N 160 and subsequent that are fitted with an operational propeller brake system.
Requirement: Action in accordance with SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032.
Note: Swedish (SFD) SAD No 1-064 dated 1 July 1994.
Compliance: Within 100 hours time in service from 15 September 1994. Thereafter, reinspect at intervals not exceeding 100 hours time in service until the requirements of SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-033 have been incorporated.
Background: The manufacturer has advised that application of the propeller brake may not prevent the propeller from turning if the hydraulic pump is turned off unless the requirement of SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-033 has been incorporated.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, address safety concerns in the aviation industry. One particular aspect of these regulations pertains to the airworthiness directives for specific aircraft models, such as the SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes. The problem this piece of legislation was introduced to address is the potential failure of the propeller brake system to prevent the propeller from turning if the hydraulic pump is turned off. This issue was highlighted by the manufacturer through the SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032, and was further referenced in the Swedish (SFD) SAD No 1-064 dated 1 July 1994. The policy objective of the regulations is to ensure the safety and reliability of aircraft operations by requiring compliance with specific service bulletins and maintenance directives, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and incidents related to the mentioned problem.
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 mandate that all SF 340A and SF 340B aeroplanes fitted with an operational propeller brake system must adhere to the requirements outlined in the SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032. Compliance with this directive must be achieved within 100 hours of time in service from 15 September 1994, with subsequent reinspections at intervals not exceeding 100 hours until the requirements of SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-033 are incorporated. This regulation aims to ensure that the propeller brake system functions as intended, thereby maintaining the safety and integrity of the aircraft during operation.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has established specific airworthiness directives under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, with the particular directive AD/SF340/44 addressing the propeller brake valve for the Saab SF340 series aeroplanes. This directive applies to all SF 340A aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 004 to 159, and all subsequent SF 340B aircraft starting from serial number 160, provided they are fitted with an operational propeller brake system. The directive mandates compliance with SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032 and references Swedish (SFD) SAD No 1-064 dated 1 July 1994. Compliance must be achieved within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service from 15 September 1994, with subsequent reinspections at intervals not exceeding 100 hours until the requirements of SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-033 are fully incorporated. This ensures that the propeller brake is effective even when the hydraulic pump is turned off, thereby enhancing flight safety.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under PART 39 - 105, contain specific Airworthiness Directives (AD) that are crucial for the safe operation of certain aircraft. For the SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes, AD/SF340/44 pertains to the propeller brake valve and is particularly relevant for aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 004 to 159 for the SF 340A variant, and 160 onwards for the SF 340B variant, that are equipped with an operational propeller brake system (Section 105). The directive mandates compliance with SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032, which was issued on 1 July 1994, as referenced by the Swedish (SFD) SAD No 1-064.
Operators of the affected SAAB SF340 aeroplanes must ensure that the specified action is taken in accordance with the outlined service bulletin. The requirement is to address the issue within 100 hours of the aircraft being in service from 15 September 1994. Once the initial compliance is achieved, further inspections are mandated at intervals not exceeding 100 hours of time in service until the requirements of SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-033 are fully incorporated. This ongoing compliance ensures that the propeller brake system functions effectively and safely, preventing the propeller from inadvertently turning when the hydraulic pump is turned off.
The obligations imposed by the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 on the operators include timely and accurate adherence to the service bulletin's instructions. This involves identifying the affected aircraft, executing the required actions as specified in SAAB Service Bulletin 340-61-032, and maintaining records of the compliance activities. Operators must also ensure that the periodic reinspections are conducted within the stipulated 100-hour intervals to confirm that the corrective actions remain effective.
Failure to comply with the Airworthiness Directive AD/SF340/44 can result in significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance in this particular directive, but generally, non-compliance with airworthiness directives can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Such actions can include fines, suspension or revocation of aircraft certificates of airworthiness, and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance results in a safety incident. Therefore, operators must take the requirements seriously to avoid these adverse outcomes.