See report `Regional Airlines Safety Study'
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority should note the safety
deficiency identified in this document and take appropriate action.
As a result of the investigation into this safety deficiency, the
Bureau simultaneously issues Safety Advisory Notices SAN980262 and
SAN980263 to operators of regional airlines and maintenenace
certificate of approval holders respectively, to alert them to this
safety deficiency.
The responsibilities of certificate of approval holders,
operators or flight crew to record/report all aircraft defects are
clearly required by regulation 50 and 248 of CAR 1988. Also, a CASA
published information booklet "Aircraft Maintenance - A Pilots
Guide" was raised some time ago to highlight a pilot's role with
regard to maintenance and the recording of defects. Contrary to
this, persons engaged in maintenance on an aircraft need only
endorse defects or conditions on a maintenance release that ground
an aircraft. Refer to regulation 47 of CAR 1988 for details. The
maintenance release concept will be replaced in the future by a
requirement for an Aircraft Flight and Technical Log. The use of
this log will be a requirement for all aircraft and will be
supported by way of an Advisory Circular. This log will contain a
deferred defects section for recording all defects carried forward
by an appropriate licensed aircraft maintenance engineer. The
changeover to a new system has, and will in the future, generate a
great deal of discussion with pilots, engineers and maintenance
organisations. This can only be welcomed, as the need for continued
education and a change of culture is obviously necessary. In the
meantime, it is recommended that this matter be further addressed
within CASA by the Compliance and Enforcement Division.
