COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 Series Aeroplanes
AD/SWSA226/71 Wing Lower Skin at WS 187 5/95
Applicability: Metro III, Model SA227-AC S/N 415, 416, 420 - 554 and Merlin IVC, Model SA227-AT, S/N 423 - 554 without either reinforcement doublers 27K31013-001, 27K31013-002 or stringer ties 27-13869 installed.
Requirement: 1. Do a fluorescent dye penetrant inspection of the wing lower surface skin in the area of Wing Station (WS) 187.0. Inspect in accordance with Fairchild Service Bulletin (SB) 227-57-002, Revision dated 23 January 1984, Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph IIA and CAO 108.10.
2. Install reinforcement doublers 27K31013-001 LH and 27K31013-002 RH, in accordance with Fairchild SB227-57-002, Revision dated 23 January 1984, Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph IIB; or,
3. Install stringer ties 27-13869 in accordance with Fairchild SB 227-57-002, Revision dated 23 January 1984, Accomplishment Instructions paragraph IIC.
Note: FAA AD 95-01-07 refers.
Compliance: 1. Inspect in accordance with Requirement 1 before 20 hours time in service after 27 April 1995.
Re-inspect at intervals not to exceed 50 hours time in service, until modified.
2. Modify in accordance with either Requirement 2 or 3 before 500 hours time in service after 27 April 1995.
Background: Due to the configuration of the wing lower surface access panels, cracking is expected to occur at WS 187 between the two access openings. The inspections required by this AD will allow timely detection of cracking. Modification will terminate the requirement for further inspections.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, are designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in Australia. This legislation, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, aims to establish and enforce regulations that maintain a high standard of airworthiness and operational safety. A specific legislative instrument, F2006B07214, pertains to the Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, addressing the problem of anticipated wing lower surface skin cracking at Wing Station (WS) 187. This directive is intended to ensure that the aircraft maintain their airworthiness by requiring inspections and modifications to prevent structural failure. The policy objective is to safeguard passengers and crew by mitigating the risk of in-flight structural failures due to undetected wing skin cracks.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, pertains to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and its regulation of airworthiness directives, including those for Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes. This legislation applies to certain Metro III and Merlin IVC models of these aeroplanes, specifically those with serial numbers within specified ranges and lacking particular reinforcement doublers or stringer ties. The geographic scope of this regulation is national, as it is a Commonwealth instrument, thereby extending its application across the entirety of Australia. The directive mandates fluorescent dye penetrant inspections of the wing lower surface skin at Wing Station (WS) 187 and provides options for modifications to ensure airworthiness. Compliance with the inspections and modifications is required within specific timeframes post the directive's issuance date of 27 April 1995, underscoring the critical nature of adherence to these safety measures. This legislation does not explicitly state exclusions or exemptions but implicitly excludes aircraft that already meet the specified modifications.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, outlines the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives for Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, with the AD/SWSA226/71 focusing on the wing lower skin at Wing Station (WS) 187 (AD/SWSA226/71). This directive applies to Metro III, Model SA227-AC with serial numbers (S/N) 415, 416, 420-554 and Merlin IVC, Model SA227-AT with S/N 423-554, unless they have reinforcement doublers 27K31013-001, 27K31013-002, or stringer ties 27-13869 installed. The directive mandates three main requirements for these aircraft. Firstly, it requires a fluorescent dye penetrant inspection of the wing lower surface skin at WS 187.0, to be conducted in accordance with Fairchild Service Bulletin (SB) 227-57-002, Revision dated 23 January 1984, Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph IIA and Civil Aviation Order (CAO) 108.10 (AD/SWSA226/71 Requirement 1). Secondly, it requires the installation of reinforcement doublers 27K31013-001 (Left Hand) and 27K31013-002 (Right Hand) in accordance with the same Fairchild Service Bulletin and Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph IIB (AD/SWSA226/71 Requirement 2). Alternatively, it requires the installation of stringer ties 27-13869, in accordance with the same Service Bulletin and Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph IIC (AD/SWSA226/71 Requirement 3).
In terms of obligations, the directive imposes specific compliance requirements on the aircraft operators. Operators must conduct the fluorescent dye penetrant inspection in accordance with AD/SWSA226/71 Requirement 1 before the aircraft has accumulated 20 hours of time in service after 27 April 1995 (AD/SWSA226/71 Compliance 1). They must also re-inspect at intervals not exceeding 50 hours of time in service until the aircraft is modified (AD/SWSA226/71 Compliance 1). Furthermore, they must modify the aircraft in accordance with either AD/SWSA226/71 Requirement 2 or 3 before the aircraft has accumulated 500 hours of time in service after 27 April 1995 (AD/SWSA226/71 Compliance 2). The directive notes that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) AD 95-01-07 refers (AD/SWSA226/71 Note).
Breaches of the requirements outlined in this directive may result in civil or criminal penalties, depending on the nature and severity of the non-compliance. The maximum penalties for non-compliance with CASA directives are not explicitly stated in the legislation, but the general penalties for breaches of civil aviation regulations can include fines and imprisonment. Operators found in breach of the requirements may also face additional consequences, such as the grounding of the affected aircraft until the necessary modifications are made or the suspension or revocation of the aircraft’s certificate of airworthiness. These penalties are intended to ensure compliance with the directive and to maintain the highest standards of aviation safety.