Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) were enacted to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the safety and operational standards of civil aviation in Australia. One of the critical components of these regulations is Part 39, which addresses various aspects of aircraft and aeronautical product airworthiness. Specifically, Airworthiness Directives (ADs) such as AD/TAY/7 are issued to address specific safety concerns identified in particular aircraft or engine models. This AD, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998, targets the Rolls Royce Tay 650 series engines, mandating specific inspections to mitigate the risk of uncontained disc failures due to corrosion in adverse operational environments. The policy objective behind this directive is to ensure the continued airworthiness and safety of the affected aircraft by requiring regular inspections as per the specified flight cycle intervals.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 106 Civil Aviation Safety Authority Schedule of Airworthiness Directives, applies to specific aircraft or aeronautical products, in this case, Rolls Royce Tay 650 series engines identified by their serial numbers. This legislation is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and operates within the Commonwealth of Australia. The Airworthiness Directive (AD) in question mandates actions necessary to rectify unsafe conditions concerning the specified engines. The directive requires compliance with the inspection protocols outlined in LBA (Deutschland) AD 2002-287, with the initial inspection mandated within 11,700 flight cycles since new, followed by inspections at intervals not exceeding 11,700 flight cycles. The directive became effective on 28 November 2002, with the notification published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 6 November 2002. This regulation ensures that the engines continue to meet airworthiness standards by addressing potential corrosion issues, thereby mitigating the risk of uncontained disc failures.

Key Provisions

The main sections of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) for the Rolls Royce Tay 650 series engines outline the specifics of the requirement, the applicability of the directive, and the compliance schedule. Section (a) in the applicability section specifies the particular Rolls Royce Tay 650 series engines that are subject to the AD, identified by their serial numbers. Section (b) in the requirement section mandates the action to be taken, which aligns with the LBA (Deutschland) AD 2002-287, indicating that the directive mirrors the requirements set forth in the German counterpart. Section (c) in the compliance section stipulates that the initial inspection must occur within 11,700 flight cycles since the engine was new, with subsequent inspections to be carried out at intervals not exceeding 11,700 flight cycles. The obligations and requirements imposed by this AD are primarily concerned with the maintenance and inspection of the Rolls Royce Tay 650 series engines to prevent corrosion that could lead to uncontained disc failures. The directive mandates that the engines must be inspected according to the schedule outlined, ensuring they meet the safety standards set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The inspections must be carried out by authorised personnel and documented appropriately, with the results being reported to the relevant authorities. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the engine being deemed unairworthy, which would necessitate grounding the aircraft until the issue is resolved. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences mentioned in the text for breach of this AD. However, non-compliance with ADs is generally taken very seriously under aviation regulations. Typically, failure to adhere to an AD can result in severe penalties, including fines, suspension or revocation of the aircraft's certificate of airworthiness, and potential criminal charges if the non-compliance leads to an accident or incident. The specific penalties would be determined by CASA and would align with the broader civil aviation regulations, which could include substantial financial penalties and other enforcement actions.