Airworthiness Directives 2004 - Revocation and Remaking - Restraint Equipment

Airworthiness Directives constitute mandatory instructions issued to address identified safety matters in specific aircraft components or systems. In this instrument the directives are confined to restraint equipment, a category that encompasses devices used to secure aircraft occupants and cargo during flight. The listed directives address safety belts, inertia reels, harness buckles, lap belts, shoulder harnesses, crotch straps, end fittings, attachment links, and cargo restraint containers.

Key concepts include inspection requirements, which direct operators to examine components for defects or wear at defined intervals. Modification requirements direct changes to existing equipment to meet updated safety standards. Replacement requirements direct substitution of components with approved alternatives. Rectification requirements direct correction of identified deficiencies. Removal from service requirements direct immediate withdrawal of unapproved or defective items. Life limits appear in at least one directive, referring to maximum periods of use before replacement.

The directives target equipment from named manufacturers and carry specific part numbers or series designations. Examples include Mills ME 2095 and ME 2402 series belts, AN-R-29 inertia reels, Davis FDC-2700 and FDC-9400B series belts, Pacific Scientific rotary buckles, dual tension reels, lift lever buckles, and integral buckle assemblies with part numbers such as 1107261-01. Other manufacturers referenced are Aerolex (Harley), Indiana Mills, Eon Corporation, Teleflex Morse, American Safety Equipment, Securaiglon, Am-Safe, Aeronautique, AMI Industries, HEMCO, Sutton, Aircraft Belts Inc, and Anjou Aeronautique.

Amendment notations such as Amdt 1 and Amdt 4 indicate that certain directives have been updated since their original issue. Two directives are explicitly marked CANCELLED, removing any continuing obligation. The numbering prefix AD/RES/ denotes the restraint equipment series. The instrument itself introduces the procedural concept of revocation followed by separate remaking, ensuring each directive functions as an independent legislative instrument under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

The instrument affects persons and organisations engaged in the operation or maintenance of civil aircraft that incorporate any of the restraint equipment identified in the listed directives. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, the regulatory framework applies to safety of air navigation within a Territory or to or from a Territory, and to safety of air navigation with respect to trade and commerce with other countries and among the States. Aircraft owners, operators, and lessees must ensure that equipment fitted to their aircraft complies with the remade directives.

Maintenance organisations approved under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 are directly affected because they perform the inspections, modifications, replacements, and rectifications required by the individual directives. Pilots and flight crew members may be affected where pre-flight or post-flight checks intersect with directive requirements. Compliance professionals within aviation companies must incorporate the directives into their safety management systems and audit programs.

The instrument also affects legal practitioners advising clients in the aviation sector, as they must identify whether client aircraft or equipment fall within the scope of any AD/RES/ directive. Suppliers and installers of restraint equipment from the named manufacturers may be affected when providing replacement parts or performing modifications. The scope extends to agricultural aircraft operations, as one directive specifically addresses buckles used in that context, and to cargo operations where seat-mounted containers are employed.

The instrument itself does not create new duties but preserves the duties set out in each remade Airworthiness Directive. Those duties include conducting inspections of inertia reels, safety belts, and harness components within timeframes specified in the individual directives. Operators must perform modifications to equipment such as Mills ME 2095 safety belts, Aerolex (Harley) attachments, Teleflex Morse inertia reels, and Securaiglon safety belts. Replacement of AN-R-29 inertia reels is required under the amended directive. Rectification of Mills ME 2402 and ME 2402T safety belts must be completed where inspection reveals deficiencies.

Operators must remove from service any unapproved safety belts and harnesses under AD/RES/9. Specific buckle assemblies from Eon Corporation, Pacific Scientific, Am-Safe, and Aircraft Belts Inc are subject to inspection or modification duties. Lap belt and shoulder harness assemblies from American Safety Equipment, including crotch straps, carry inspection and modification obligations. Cargo restraint equipment, including seat-mounted containers and Aeronautique restraint systems, must be maintained in accordance with the applicable directive.

Rights arising from the instrument include the continued lawful operation of aircraft once the required actions under each directive have been completed and documented. Operators retain the right to use equipment that meets the standards set by the remade directives. The separate instrument status of each directive provides clarity in identifying the precise obligations that apply to particular part numbers and aircraft types.

The source text does not prescribe penalties. Enforcement occurs through the powers conferred by the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. Section 98 of the Act authorises the making of regulations for the safety of air navigation, including matters necessary or convenient for carrying out the Act. Non-compliance with a remade Airworthiness Directive constitutes a breach of the regulations under which the directive was issued.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority may take administrative action, including suspension or cancellation of certificates of approval, air operator certificates, or maintenance organisation approvals. Prosecution for offences under the regulations remains available. The instrument's revocation and remaking mechanism ensures that the directives remain current and enforceable as separate instruments, supporting ongoing regulatory oversight of restraint equipment.

This instrument operates under the Civil Aviation Act 1988. Part III of the Act deals with regulation of civil aviation and establishes the Civil Aviation Safety Authority with functions relating to the safety of civil aviation. Section 98 empowers the Governor-General to make regulations prescribing matters required or permitted by the Act, matters necessary or convenient for carrying out the Act, and matters relating to safety of air navigation in the circumstances described in paragraphs (c) to (f) of subsection 98(1).

The instrument is made under subregulation 39.001(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, which are regulations made pursuant to section 98. The interpretation section of the Act defines an 83 bis agreement as an agreement entered into under Article 83 bis of the Chicago Convention, indicating that the broader regulatory scheme incorporates international aviation safety standards. The instrument does not directly engage the ANZA mutual recognition provisions in Division 1A of the Act, but the safety obligations it preserves contribute to the overall framework that supports mutual recognition arrangements.

The directives interact with other Parts of the Act, including those addressing serious and imminent risks to air safety in Division 3A and enforceable voluntary undertakings in Division 3B. Compliance with the remade directives supports the safety objectives that underpin drug and alcohol management plans in Part IV and voluntary reporting protections in Division 3C.

The instrument dated 20 December 2004 effects the revocation of the previously applicable versions of the 33 listed Airworthiness Directives and their remaking as separate instruments. The text records that each directive is re-made in exactly the same form as appears in the latest published edition. This change alters the formal status of the directives from a collective publication to individual legislative instruments without altering their substantive content.

The source text does not state the reason for the revocation and remaking. The action is recorded as having been taken by the delegate under subregulation 39.001(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. The result is that each AD/RES/ directive now exists as a standalone instrument that can be cited, amended, or revoked independently in future regulatory actions.

The source text and the related retrieval context from the Civil Aviation Act 1988 do not name any court challenges or controversies relating to this instrument or the listed Airworthiness Directives. No cases are identified. The instrument was made by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority without reference to any disputes or legal proceedings.

The revocation and remaking in identical form to the latest published editions maintains continuity of the obligations, which may reduce the scope for arguments based on changes to requirements. The separate instrument status of each directive provides a clear record of the precise version that applies at any given time.

Several directives in Schedule 1 are marked as cancelled. Safety Harness Buckles MS22013 and 44B26452 - Modification - CANCELLED AD/RES/7 Amdt 2 and Seat Belts and Harnesses - CANCELLED AD/RES/29 Amdt 1 no longer impose active requirements. Practitioners must confirm that any reference to these numbers in client records or maintenance documentation is treated as obsolete.

Many directives carry amendment notations. Indiana Mills Safety Belts AD/RES/10 Amdt 4, Eon Corporation E8000 Buckle Assemblies AD/RES/11 Amdt 1, and HEMCO Seat Belts and Harnesses AD/RES/27 Amdt 2 are examples where the remade version incorporates the latest amendment. Operators must apply the version that includes the amendment number shown in the schedule.

The remaking as separate instruments means that each AD/RES/ number now stands alone. Future amendments or revocations will apply to the individual instrument rather than to a collective document. Operators must verify applicability by matching exact part numbers and series designations against their aircraft equipment. For example, Pacific Scientific components appear under multiple directives with distinct part numbers, requiring careful cross-checking.

The note in the instrument confirms that the remade directives retain the form of the latest published edition. Any subsequent publication by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority that differs from this form would constitute a further amendment requiring separate consideration.

Aircraft owners and operators should first examine Schedule 1 to identify whether any restraint equipment fitted to their aircraft matches the descriptions in the listed directives. This includes checking part numbers such as Mills ME 2095, AN-R-29, Davis FDC-2700, Pacific Scientific ASSY0107119, and all other specified designations.

The full text of each relevant remade Airworthiness Directive must be obtained from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The individual directive will set out the precise actions required, including inspection intervals, modification procedures, replacement criteria, or removal instructions. Compliance actions must be completed within any timeframes stated in the directive and recorded in the aircraft maintenance documentation.

Maintenance organisations should incorporate the applicable directives into their approved maintenance programs. Records of inspections, modifications, and replacements must be retained to demonstrate compliance during audits or regulatory inspections. Where a directive has been cancelled, no further action is required under that number.

Legal advisers should review client aircraft inventories and maintenance records against the full list in Schedule 1. Where equipment from manufacturers such as Aeronautique, HEMCO, or Anjou Aeronautique is present, the corresponding directive must be applied. Ongoing monitoring of Civil Aviation Safety Authority publications is necessary to detect any future amendments to the remade instruments. Compliance with these directives supports the safety of air navigation obligations under the Civil Aviation Act 1988.