AD/B747/235 Amdt 1 - Fuselage Skin at BS 980 Drag Splice Fitting (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/B747/235 and issues the following 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.

Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes

AD/B747/235 Amdt 1

Fuselage Skin at BS 980 Drag Splice Fitting 13/2001

Applicability: All Model 747 series aircraft.

Requirement: Inspect in accordance with the technical requirements of FAA AD 2001-22-04 Amdt 39-12483.

Note: Boeing Service Bulletins 747-53A2444 Revision 1 and Revision 2 refer.

Compliance: As specified in the Requirement document with a revised effective date of 27 December 2001.

This amendment becomes effective on 27 December 2001.

Background: The FAA requires certain inspections to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin adjacent to the BS 980 drag splice fitting. Such cracking could result in reduced structural integrity of the fuselage.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new FAA AD which introduces repetitive ultrasonic, high frequency eddy current, and detailed visual inspections in response to reports of fatigue cracking in the fuselage skin and adjacent structure.