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/SWSA226/76 Main Landing Gear Door Actuator 4/96
Applicability: Models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT and SA226-TC S/N range as specified in the requirement document.
Requirement: Unless previously carried out, action in accordance with Fairchild Aircraft Service Bulletin 226-32-059 dated February 14, 1991.
Note: FAA AD 95-25-07 amdt 39-9452 refers.
Compliance: Within 1000 hours time in service from 28 March 1996.
Background: The manufacturer has advised that if the gear door actuator is misrigged the gear doors may fail to open.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended and incorporated within the legislative instrument F2006B07219, were enacted to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in Australia. The specific Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/SWSA226/76 addresses an issue identified with the main landing gear door actuator of Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, aiming to rectify a potential safety hazard. This directive was introduced to mitigate the risk of gear doors failing to open if the actuator is misrigged, which could result in significant safety concerns during flight operations. The policy objective behind this regulation is to ensure that civil aviation operations comply with necessary safety standards to protect passengers, crew, and the general public. This AD was enacted by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is responsible for enforcing these regulations to maintain the highest safety standards in Australia's civil aviation sector.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, apply to the Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, detailing the airworthiness directives concerning the main landing gear door actuator. The directive applies to certain models, namely the SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT and SA226-TC, within a specified serial number range as outlined in the requirement document. The requirement mandates that unless the specified action has been previously carried out, the aircraft must comply with the instructions in Fairchild Aircraft Service Bulletin 226-32-059 dated February 14, 1991. Compliance with this directive is mandatory within 1000 hours of time in service from 28 March 1996, following the manufacturer's advisory that a misrigged gear door actuator may result in the gear doors failing to open. This regulation extends across the Commonwealth, ensuring the safety and airworthiness of the specified aircraft models throughout Australia.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39, section 105, detail the Airworthiness Directives for certain aircraft models. Here, we are concerned with Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, focusing on the main landing gear door actuator as stipulated in AD/SWSA226/76 dated 4/96. This directive applies to models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC within a specified serial number range. The directive mandates that unless the action specified in Fairchild Aircraft Service Bulletin 226-32-059 dated February 14, 1991, has already been carried out, such action must be undertaken. This bulletin relates to FAA AD 95-25-07 amendment 39-9452, which highlights the critical nature of this directive.
The obligation imposed by this Airworthiness Directive is clear: operators of the specified aircraft models must ensure that the main landing gear door actuator is correctly rigged and complies with the requirements within 1000 hours of time in service from 28 March 1996. This timeframe is crucial as it directly impacts the operational safety and airworthiness of the aircraft. Failure to comply with the directive could result in the gear doors not opening, which poses significant safety risks during flight operations. The directive is a response to the manufacturer's advice that misrigging of the gear door actuator can lead to serious safety issues.
Failure to adhere to the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive can have severe consequences. If an operator does not comply with the directive, they are potentially placing their aircraft and its passengers at risk. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce compliance, and non-compliance could result in penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the text, they may include fines, grounding of the aircraft, or other enforcement actions deemed necessary to ensure compliance with safety regulations. It is imperative for operators to take prompt and effective action to meet these safety standards to avoid any adverse outcomes.