Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) are a key piece of Australian legislation designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation within the country. Enacted by the Australian Parliament, these regulations cover a wide range of aviation-related matters, including aircraft design, manufacture, maintenance, and operation. The problem or gap these regulations were introduced to address includes the need for a comprehensive and uniform set of rules to govern civil aviation, thereby protecting the public and maintaining high safety standards. One such regulation is the Airworthiness Directive (AD) concerning the Aerospatiale (Socata) TBM 700 Series Aeroplanes, which was issued to address specific safety concerns identified with these aircraft. The policy objective behind this AD is to mandate corrective actions that ensure the aircraft remain airworthy and safe for operation. This Airworthiness Directive (AD/TBM 700/22) was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the authority of subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. It targets all TBM 700 aircraft that do not have the Socata modification MOD 70-109-53 “Cabin drain valve” incorporated. The AD mandates that these aircraft must replace the strainer drain system in the area of frame C10 with a valve that has a larger drain hole, in accordance with Socata TBM 700 Service Bulletin 70-082-53. This requirement is based on reports of elevator servocontrol jamming due to icing, which occurred because water had accumulated in the fuselage and not cleared due to a clogged drain hole. The AD became effective on 28 December 2000, with compliance required within 110 hours of time in service after this date or before 28 February 2001, whichever occurs first.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive applies to all TBM 700 series aeroplanes that do not have the Socata modification MOD 70-109-53 "Cabin drain valve" incorporated. The AD mandates the replacement of the strainer drain system in the area of frame C10 with a valve that has a larger drain hole, as specified in Socata TBM 700 Service Bulletin 70-082-53, to address the unsafe condition of elevator servocontrol jamming due to icing. This requirement must be met within 110 hours of time in service after 28 December 2000 or before 28 February 2001, whichever comes first. The directive is issued by the delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and becomes effective on 28 December 2000. It is noted that this AD is published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 22 November 2000.

Key Provisions

The key provision of this Airworthiness Directive (AD/TBM 700/22) is found in section 13/2000, which specifically addresses the cabin drainage of the Aerospatiale (Socata) TBM 700 Series Aeroplanes. This directive applies to all TBM 700 aircraft that do not have the Socata modification MOD 70-109-53 "Cabin drain valve" incorporated (Applicability). The requirement section mandates that the strainer drain system in the area of frame C10 must be replaced by a valve with a larger drain hole, in accordance with Socata TBM 700 Service Bulletin 70-082-53 (Requirement). This change is to be implemented within 110 hours of time in service after 28 December 2000, or before 28 February 2001, whichever comes first (Compliance). The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) imposes several obligations on the parties governed by this directive. Firstly, it requires that the specified modification to the cabin drainage system be completed within the stipulated timeframe. This involves ensuring that the appropriate modifications are made by certified technicians in accordance with the specified service bulletin. Additionally, operators of the affected aircraft must maintain records of compliance with the directive, as well as any modifications made to the aircraft to address the issue. Failure to comply with the provisions of this Airworthiness Directive may result in various consequences. The directive itself does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance; however, under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, failure to comply with an AD can lead to severe consequences. This may include the grounding of the affected aircraft until compliance is achieved, as well as potential fines and legal action against the aircraft operator or owner. Additionally, the safety of passengers and crew may be compromised if the directive is not followed, leading to further civil and criminal liabilities for the responsible parties.