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/SWSA226/78 Landing Gear Struts 7/96
Applicability: Models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT and SA226-TC with main landing gear legs P/N 5453001-1 or P/N 5453001-3 fitted.
Requirement: Inspect the main landing gear struts P/N 5453001-1 or P/N 5453001-3 in accordance with Fairchild Service Bulletin (SB) 226-32-033 Revision 2, dated March 2 1987.
Compliance: For P/N 5453001-1: Unless already accomplished, inspect before 4000 hours time in service, or 100 hours time in service after 20 June 1996, whichever occurs later.
Thereafter inspect at intervals not to exceed 800 hours time in service.
For P/N 5453001-3: Unless already accomplished, inspect before 10000 hours time in service, or 100 hours time in service after 20 June 1996, whichever occurs later.
Thereafter inspect at intervals not to exceed 800 hours time in service.
For landing gear struts reworked in accordance with Fairchild SB 226-32-033, inspect at intervals not to exceed 50 hours time in service.
Background: Two aircraft have been found with cracked main landing gear struts, as indicated in Fairchild SB 226-32-033. The aircraft system of maintenance did not refer to the service bulletin. This directive is issued to make compliance with the Service Bulletin mandatory.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which were enacted in 1998, aim to ensure the safety of civil aviation in Australia. One specific aspect of this regulation is the requirement for maintaining the airworthiness of aircraft, as detailed in Part 39 - 105 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives. This particular legislative instrument, F2006B07221, focuses on Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes and addresses the identified issue of cracked main landing gear struts in certain models. The instrument was introduced to rectify a gap in the enforcement of Fairchild Service Bulletin 226-32-033, which was not being followed by the aircraft maintenance system. The policy objective is to enhance the safety of these aircraft by mandating compliance with the service bulletin. The instrument was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, acting under the authority of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39, specifically mandates the application of Airworthiness Directive AD/SWSA226/78 concerning Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes. This directive applies to specific models of the SA226 series, namely the SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC, equipped with main landing gear legs bearing part numbers 5453001-1 or 5453001-3. The directive is intended to ensure the airworthiness of these aircraft by mandating inspections of the main landing gear struts. Compliance with the directive requires inspections to be carried out in accordance with Fairchild Service Bulletin 226-32-033 Revision 2, dated March 2, 1987. The inspection schedules vary depending on the part number, with a requirement for an inspection before 4000 hours or 100 hours after 20 June 1996, whichever is later, for part number 5453001-1, and before 10000 hours or 100 hours after 20 June 1996 for part number 5453001-3. After the initial inspection, subsequent inspections must be performed at intervals not exceeding 800 hours. In cases where the landing gear struts have been reworked according to the service bulletin, inspections must occur at intervals not exceeding 50 hours. The directive is a response to instances of cracked main landing gear struts, highlighting the importance of adherence to service bulletins to maintain safety standards.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in Part 39, mandates the maintenance and safety standards for certain aircraft models under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Section 39-105 focuses on the application of Airworthiness Directives for specific aircraft, such as the Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes. This directive, AD/SWSA226/78, addresses the maintenance and inspection requirements for the main landing gear struts on these aircraft models. The applicability of this directive is limited to models SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, and SA226-TC that are equipped with main landing gear legs bearing part numbers 5453001-1 or 5453001-3.
The key requirement of this directive is the inspection of the main landing gear struts. For part number 5453001-1, the initial inspection must occur before the aircraft reaches 4000 hours of time in service, or 100 hours after 20 June 1996, whichever comes later. Subsequent inspections must be conducted at intervals not exceeding 800 hours of time in service. For part number 5453001-3, the initial inspection should be done before the aircraft accumulates 10000 hours of time in service, or 100 hours after 20 June 1996, whichever is later. Following the initial inspection, inspections must be carried out at intervals not exceeding 800 hours of time in service. If the landing gear struts have been reworked according to Fairchild Service Bulletin (SB) 226-32-033, inspections must then be conducted at intervals not exceeding 50 hours of time in service.
The obligations imposed by this directive are primarily on the aircraft operators and maintenance personnel. They are required to inspect the specified landing gear struts according to the outlined schedules and procedures. This includes adherence to the Fairchild Service Bulletin 226-32-033 Revision 2, dated March 2, 1987, which provides the inspection criteria and guidelines. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in serious safety risks, as evidenced by incidents where cracked main landing gear struts were discovered, which were not detected due to the aircraft system of maintenance not referencing the relevant service bulletin.
In terms of consequences, breaches of these requirements can lead to significant penalties. Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 mandate strict compliance with Airworthiness Directives to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. Non-compliance can result in enforcement actions by CASA, which may include fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, or other regulatory measures. The severity of penalties can vary, but they are designed to enforce adherence to safety standards and ensure that aircraft are maintained in a safe and airworthy condition.