Commonwealth legislation

AD/ELECT/54 - Sealed Lead Acid Aircraft Batteries

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Commonwealth

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legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

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This airworthiness directive requires operators of aircraft fitted with specified Gates Varley / Tungstone / Hawker sealed lead‑acid batteries (listed 18 AH and 25 AH product numbers) to remove the battery and perform a capacity test using the aircraft maintenance manual or another approved procedure (Requirement). Tests must begin six months after installation and follow the serial‑number dependent schedules, then recur at set intervals (Compliance). The rule targets unexpected capacity loss that can shorten emergency power availability (Background).

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AD/ELECT/54 - Sealed Lead Acid Aircraft Batteries

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 107 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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Electrical Equipment

AD/ELECT/54 Sealed Lead Acid Aircraft Batteries 7/90

Applicability: All installed Gates Varley/Tungstone Energy Products/Hawker Energy Products sealed lead acid batteries listed below:

18 AH batteries with the following product numbers:

25 AH batteries with the following product numbers:

9750-0730, 9750-0734, 9750-0738, 9750-0640, 9750-0650,

9750-0740, 9750-0742, 9750-0744, 9750-0658, 9750-0660

9750-0772. 9750-0750, 9750-0781.

Note 1. Aircraft known to have batteries of this type fitted include but are not limited to BAe 125 Series; Shorts Skyvan Series; and BAe. Jetstream series.

Note 2. Gates Varley SB M1-89 Issue 2 (made mandatory by CAA (UK) also refers.

Requirement: Remove from the aircraft and carry out a capacity test in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual or other approved procedure.

Compliance: 1. 18 AH batteries in the serial number range A1810 to A7637, and 25 AH batteries in the serial number range B0095 to CO 575 - initially 6 months after initial installation in an aircraft, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 3 months.

18 AH batteries with serial numbers below A1810 and above A7637, and 25 AH batteries with serial numbers below B0095 and above CO 575 - initially 6 months after initial installation, then after a further 6 months, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 3 months.

Background: Affected batteries have been found to exhibit an unexpected loss of capacity which reduces the time for which the battery can power emergency services in the event of a power failure.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 AD/ELECT/54 - Sealed Lead Acid Aircraft Batteries