COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.
SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes
AD/SF340/83 Replacement of Hydraulic Hoses 3/2002
Applicability: All SAAB 340A model aeroplanes S/No’s 004 to 159 and 340B model aeroplanes S/No’s 160 to 459.
Requirement: Carry out actions described in SAAB Aircraft AB Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) SAAB 340-29-022 dated 14 December 2001.
Note: Swedish AD 1-170 refers.
Compliance: 1. For aeroplanes with hoses which have accumulated 12,000 flight cycles or more, to be carried out within 5000 flight cycles, but not later than 2 years from the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive.
2. For aeroplanes with hoses which have accumulated less than 12,000 flight cycles, to be carried out at 12,000 flight cycles or within 2 years from the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive, whichever occurs later.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 21 March 2002.
Background: A large number of hose failures have occurred, caused by high pressure and bending cycles, resulting in loss of normal landing gear extension/retraction, flap settings and nose wheel steering. This Directive requires that a number of hydraulic hoses be replaced followed by a reduced life limit on replacement hoses. These life limits will be incorporated in Section F - Systems Life Limited Parts of the SAAB 340 Maintenance Review Board (MRB) report.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 11 February 2002
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 February 2002.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, introduced an Airworthiness Directive (AD) to address a significant safety issue related to hydraulic hose failures in SAAB SF340 series aeroplanes. This AD was enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) as a delegate of the Commonwealth of Australia, aiming to correct an unsafe condition that had resulted in numerous incidents of loss of normal landing gear extension/retraction, flap settings, and nose wheel steering. The AD mandates the replacement of specific hydraulic hoses, as detailed in SAAB Aircraft AB Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) SAAB 340-29-022 dated 14 December 2001, and sets forth compliance timelines based on the accumulated flight cycles of the hoses. This intervention was deemed necessary to prevent further occurrences of the identified safety issues, thereby enhancing the overall safety standards within the civil aviation sector.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, encompasses various directives designed to maintain the safety of civil aviation within Australia. Under this legislative framework, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) has been issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address safety concerns related to the SAAB SF340 Series aeroplanes. This AD applies to all SAAB 340A model aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from 004 to 159 and all 340B model aeroplanes with serial numbers from 160 to 459. The directive mandates the replacement of hydraulic hoses as outlined in the SAAB Aircraft AB Mandatory Service Bulletin, aiming to rectify a known issue of hose failures due to high pressure and bending cycles. The compliance period for these actions varies based on the accumulated flight cycles of the aircraft in question, with stringent timelines specified to ensure that the corrective actions are implemented within a defined period from the AD's effective date of 21 March 2002. This directive is further detailed in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 February 2002, reinforcing its legal standing and scope within the regulatory environment.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) specifically targets the SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes, namely the 340A model aeroplanes with serial numbers 004 to 159 and the 340B model aeroplanes with serial numbers 160 to 459 (section 1). The AD mandates that hydraulic hoses be replaced in accordance with SAAB Aircraft AB Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) SAAB 340-29-022 dated 14 December 2001, addressing issues caused by high pressure and bending cycles that have resulted in operational failures such as loss of landing gear extension/retraction, flap settings, and nose wheel steering (section 2). The directive outlines specific timelines for compliance, dependent on the accumulated flight cycles of the aircraft's hoses. For aeroplanes with hoses that have reached 12,000 flight cycles or more, the replacement must occur within 5,000 additional flight cycles but not later than two years from the effective date of the AD. For aeroplanes with fewer than 12,000 flight cycles, the replacement must occur at the 12,000 flight cycle mark or within two years from the AD's effective date, whichever comes later (section 3). The AD came into effect on 21 March 2002.
Operators of SAAB 340A and 340B aeroplanes within the specified serial number ranges must comply with the AD by ensuring that the hydraulic hose replacement and associated actions are performed as per the detailed instructions in the SAAB Aircraft AB Mandatory Service Bulletin. This involves meticulous maintenance and adherence to the bulletin's guidance to ensure the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft. Failure to comply with these requirements could lead to significant safety risks, as the AD is issued to address identified hazards that could compromise the aircraft's operational integrity.
Breaches of the AD may result in serious consequences under Australian aviation law. Non-compliance with Airworthiness Directives can lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Potential penalties include fines and other civil or administrative sanctions. In severe cases, failure to adhere to the AD could also lead to the grounding of the aircraft until the required actions are satisfactorily completed, thereby impacting the operator's ability to conduct flights and potentially incurring significant financial losses. The exact penalties for non-compliance are not explicitly detailed in the AD but are subject to the broader provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations.