AD/SUPP/9 Amdt 1 - Air Equipment Rescue Hoists

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which were enacted to ensure the safe operation of civil aviation in Australia, include a series of directives aimed at maintaining airworthiness standards. Among these is AD/SUPP/9 Amendment 1, issued in 1988, which addresses the specific safety concern of rescue hoists manufactured by Air Equipment. This directive was introduced to mitigate the risk of hoist cable failure, which could potentially lead to severe consequences during rescue operations. The directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, with the policy objective of ensuring that all rescue hoists are maintained to a standard that prevents malfunctions and ensures the safety of personnel involved in hoisting operations. The requirement includes a visual inspection of the upper limit lever return spring and adherence to specific service bulletins issued by the manufacturer, Bronzavia. Compliance with this directive is mandatory, with inspections to be conducted daily until the specified date or until the recommended modifications are implemented.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 107, governs the airworthiness directives concerning supplementary equipment, including air equipment rescue hoists. The regulations apply to all air equipment hoists with particular part numbers (76370, 76375, and 76365) used within the Commonwealth of Australia. The primary focus of this directive is the mandatory inspection and replacement of the upper limit lever return spring (P/N 709960) to prevent potential failures that could lead to dangerous overtravel of the hoist cable. Compliance with this directive must be adhered to at each daily inspection following the directive’s implementation date of 9 November 1987. The requirement extends until 30 September 1988, unless the specified parts (new spring and pin P/Nos 712174 and 2672-012) have already been fitted, which would then terminate the need for further inspections under this directive. This directive is enforceable across the entire Commonwealth, ensuring that all relevant operators comply with the safety measures outlined to maintain the integrity and safety of air equipment hoists in Australian aviation operations.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 107 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (AD/SUPP/9Amdt 1) pertain specifically to Air Equipment rescue hoists with part numbers 76370, 76375, and 76365. Section 1 mandates that operators visually inspect the upper limit lever return spring (P/N 709960) after winding out sufficient cable to release the up lever, to check for signs of failure. If the spring is found to be broken, it must be replaced before any further hoisting operations can occur. Additionally, operators must adhere to the actions outlined in Bronzavia Air Equipment Service Bulletins 25-62-0H or 25-69-0J, as applicable. These directives reference pertinent communications such as Air Equipment Telex G2631 and DGAC AD 88-024 (B). The obligations imposed by these regulations are quite specific and require operators to perform a daily inspection after 9 November 1987. This inspection must be conducted by the pilot in command, who is then required to enter and certify compliance with the directive in Column 2, Part 3 of the Maintenance Release. Compliance must be achieved unless the new spring and pin (P/Nos 712174 and 2672-012) have already been fitted by 30 September 1988, at which point the inspection requirements of this directive would be terminated. Breach of these regulations could lead to serious consequences. If the upper limit lever return spring is found to be faulty and not replaced, it could result in overtravel of the hoist cable, potentially leading to cable separation from the hook assembly. This not only poses a safety risk but could also result in non-compliance with aviation safety standards. While the Civil Aviation Regulations do not explicitly outline specific penalties for non-compliance with this directive, general aviation safety laws could impose fines, operational restrictions, or other regulatory actions against the operator or the aircraft involved. The exact penalties would depend on the severity of the breach and the specific regulations that are contravened.