The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) advised (Media Release of 10 April 2001) that it was widening the safety deficiency investigation that commenced on 11 January 2001 into airline aircraft maintenance requirements. The widening of the examination will include a review of procedures employed by manufacturers, regulatory and certifying authorities and airline operators.
On two recent occasions, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority found it necessary to specifically mandate operator compliance with an aircraft manufacturer's airworthiness recommendation contained in a Service Bulletin, even though compliance was not mandatory in the country of design and manufacture.
Today, the ATSB is releasing the following two safety recommendations:
- Recommendation 20010092 states: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority take steps to ensure that the continuing airworthiness requirements for Australian registered Class A aircraft are not compromised through any lack of action by the national airworthiness authorities of other countries.
- Recommendation 20010093 states: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority take responsibility to ensure that all service bulletins relevant to Australian registered Class A aircraft are received and assessed for safety of flight implications. The assessment process should ensure that those aspects affecting the safety of flight of Class A aircraft are implemented or mandated as necessary and that appropriate systems are in place to ensure compliance.