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
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.
AD/SWSA226/87 Operation of Deicing Boots 7/2000
Applicability: All models SA226-T, SA226-AT, SA226-T(B), SA227-AT, SA227-TT, SA226-TC,
SA227-AC, SA227-PC, SA227-BC, SA227-CC and SA227-DC aircraft equipped with pneumatic deicing boots.
Requirement: Revise the Limitations Section of the aircraft's Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) by incorporating the following:
" Except for certain phases of flight where the AFM specifies that deicing boots should not be used (e.g., take-off, final approach, and landing), compliance with the following is required.
- Wing and Tail Leading Edge Pneumatic Deicing Boot System, if installed, must be activated:
- At the first sign of ice formation anywhere on the aircraft, or upon annunciation from an ice detector system, whichever occurs first; and
- The system must either be continued to be operated in the automatic cycling mode, if available; or the system must be manually cycled as needed to minimize the ice accretions on the airframe.
- The wing and tail leading edge pneumatic deicing boot system may be deactivated only after:
- Leaving known or observed/detected icing that the flight crew has visually observed on the aircraft or was identified by the on-board sensors; and
- After the airplane is determined to be clear of ice."
Alternatively, a copy of this Directive may be inserted in the Limitations Section of the Aircraft Flight Manual preceding the paragraph covering Operation in Icing Conditions.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
This AFM amendment may be accomplished by the aircraft CoR holder, who can sign the aircraft log book for completion of this Directive.
Note 1: Ice adhesion can be reduced by periodic treatment of deicing boots with a deicing compound such as “ICEX”, an ice-phobic chemical spray.
Note 2: FAA AD 2000-06-04 Amendment 39-11644 refers.
Compliance: Within 10 calendar days time in service from the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 13 July 2000.
Background: This Directive is issued to ensure deicing boots are activated as soon as ice build up is detected. If this action is not taken flight crews may experience reduced controllability of the aircraft due to the aerodynamic effects of ice adhering to the aircraft prior to the first deicing cycle.
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 2 June 2000
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 14 June 2000.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve as the regulatory framework governing civil aviation safety within the country. Among its provisions, Part 39 - 105 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 specifically addresses Airworthiness Directives, which are legally binding instructions issued to ensure the safety of civil aircraft. One such Airworthiness Directive, AD/SWSA226/87, was introduced on 13 July 2000 by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address the problem of ice accumulation on Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 Series aeroplanes. The primary objective of this directive was to mandate the activation of pneumatic deicing boots at the first sign of ice formation to prevent the aerodynamic effects of ice that could compromise aircraft controllability.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to all models of the Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes equipped with pneumatic deicing boots. This includes specific models such as SA226-T, SA226-AT, SA226-T(B), SA227-AT, SA227-TT, SA226-TC, SA227-AC, SA227-PC, SA227-BC, SA227-CC, and SA227-DC. The AD mandates that these aircraft must adhere to specific operational requirements concerning their deicing boot systems to ensure safe flight conditions in icing environments. The requirement stipulates that the deicing boots must be activated at the first sign of ice formation or upon an ice detector system's annunciation and must be operated in automatic cycling mode or manually cycled to minimise ice accretion. The deicing boots can only be deactivated once the aircraft is clear of ice, as determined by the flight crew. Compliance with this directive must be achieved within 10 calendar days from its effective date, which is 13 July 2000.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 105, address the Airworthiness Directives for certain Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes, particularly focusing on the operation of deicing boots. The Airworthiness Directive AD/SWSA226/87, issued on 7 July 2000, applies to all models SA226-T, SA226-AT, SA226-T(B), SA227-AT, SA227-TT, SA226-TC, SA227-AC, SA227-PC, SA227-BC, SA227-CC and SA227-DC aircraft that are equipped with pneumatic deicing boots. The directive mandates that the limitations section of the aircraft's Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) must be revised to incorporate specific operational instructions regarding the activation and deactivation of the wing and tail leading edge pneumatic deicing boot system. The directive stipulates that the deicing boots must be activated at the first sign of ice formation or upon ice detector annunciation, whichever occurs first, and must be either maintained in automatic cycling mode or manually cycled as needed to reduce ice accretion on the airframe. Deactivation of the system is only permitted once the aircraft is confirmed to be clear of ice and after the flight crew has visually confirmed the absence of icing conditions.
The obligations imposed by this directive include a requirement for the aircraft's Certificate of Registration (CoR) holder to revise the AFM to incorporate the new operational instructions. This revision must be completed within 10 calendar days from the effective date of the directive, which is 13 July 2000. Additionally, the directive suggests that ice adhesion can be reduced by periodically treating the deicing boots with a deicing compound such as "ICEX", an ice-phobic chemical spray. Failure to comply with the directive may result in reduced controllability of the aircraft due to ice adhesion, potentially leading to unsafe flight conditions.
In terms of consequences for non-compliance, the regulations do not explicitly detail specific offences or penalties within the directive itself. However, non-compliance with Airworthiness Directives generally falls under the broader regulatory framework of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which can result in enforcement actions, including fines and potential suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness. The severity of penalties may depend on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, as well as any resultant safety risks or incidents.