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Part V - Standard 593 - Airworthiness Directives

Notice:  Please be advised that there was no scheduled amendment for December 2012 (2012-2). The next amendment is planned for Spring 2013 (2013-1).

Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) 2012-1

Content last revised: 2002/03/01

Preamble

First Edition
Effective: October 30, 1987

This Chapter is made up of two subchapters. The content of each Subchapter is outlined in the "applicability" section of each Subchapter.

The procedures and airworthiness requirements contained in this Chapter supersedes those published in the applicable parts, chapters and sections of the Engineering and Inspection Manual.

Amendment 593-1
Effective: October 10, 1996

This amendment, developed in line with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), replaces the first edition of this chapter.

The requirements, standards and procedures have been revised and incorporated in Subpart 593 and 605 of the CARs, in this Chapter, and in Standard 625 - Aircraft Equipment and Maintenance.

More precisely, the standards and procedures in regard to: conformance to airworthiness directives; exemptions and other means of conformance; foreign airworthiness directives; other equivalent foreign directives; and flight authorities affected by an airworthiness directive have been incorporated in Appendix H of Standard 625 - Aircraft Equipment and Maintenance.

STANDARD 593 - AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

593.01 Application

The type certificates referred to in Section 593.01 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, include:

(a) type certificates issued for aircraft, aircraft engines and propellers, including type approvals;

(b) supplemental type certificates and limited supplemental type certificates, including supplemental type approvals and limited supplemental type approvals; and

(c) appliance type certificates, including appliance type approvals.

Information Notes:

(i) The Minister will not issue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) against amateur- built, owner-maintained or ultra-light aircraft.
 (amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(ii) ADs are issued against certified aeronautical products independently of the aircraft type concerned. Where an AD is issued to identify an unsafe product, this condition is likely to exist regardless of the aircraft type in which the product is installed. Therefore, even though such ADs would not be mandatory on amateur-built, owner-maintained and ultra-light aircraft, owners should take these ADs into account.
 (amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(iii) Transport Canada publishes the Index of Airworthiness Directives Applicable in Canada (TP 9857). It lists Canadian and foreign ADs applicable in Canada, grouped into four Groups: Aircraft; Engines; Propellers; and Miscellaneous. These tabulated subjects could be of interest to owners of amateur-built, owner-maintained or ultra-light aircraft.
 (amended 2002/03/01; previous version)

(iv) TP 9857 is sold and distributed only through:

Canada Communications Group - Publishing Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0S9.

593.02 Information

Information Note:

Pursuant to Subpart 593 and Section 605.84 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, additional information for owners concerning Airworthiness Directives (ADs) is also provided in Appendix H of Standard 625 - Aircraft Equipment and Maintenance.

The purpose of an AD is to notify aircraft owners of:

(a) unsafe conditions;

(b) non-conformity with the basis of certification and other conditions affecting the airworthiness of their aircraft;

(c) the mandatory actions required for the continued safe operation of an aeronautical product; or

(d) exceptionally, the interdiction of flight until corrective action is developed.

593.03Responsibilities

(1) The responsibility for monitoring the overall airworthiness of aeronautical products used in Canada rests with the Director of Airworthiness, Transport Canada.

Information Notes:

(i) Monitoring is accomplished, in part, by the review of reports and service bulletins received from manufacturers, service difficulty reports, and information received from other airworthiness authorities, or from other sources. Based on this information, it can be determined that a condition exists that affects the airworthiness of a particular aeronautical product, and that an AD is warranted. The AD will normally specify the corrective action required to restore the product to an airworthy condition, as well as outline the compliance date, or service period by which the prescribed action must be carried out.

(ii) It is incumbent upon owners of Canadian registered aircraft to ensure that Transport Canada (TC) has their correct address to ensure prompt delivery of ADs applicable to their aircraft. Subpart 202.51 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations requires the registered owner of an aircraft to notify TC in writing not more than seven days after a change in name or address.

593.04 Development

In accordance with Subpart 593.01 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, an AD is developed and issued where:

(a) a product does not conform to the standards which govern its type certification;

(b) a safety risk exists; or

(c) the need to supersede a foreign AD for reasons of environment, safety, compliance leadtime, or reliance on foreign legislation, exists.

Information Notes:

(i) Some of the environmental considerations which might influence the risk analysis done in the foreign state, to a lesser or greater degree than it would in Canada, are:

(a) differences in weather extremes between Canada and the originator's state which would act on the performance or reliability of the aircraft after hot or cold soaking;

(b) corrosive components in the environment, and their concentration, peculiar to the foreign country, or to Canada, or its regions in which the aircraft is usually operating; and,

(c) geological differences such as encountered during operations from Arctic snow strips, remote water bodies, and off-shore platforms.

(ii) Safety is a matter of acceptable risk, and a particular situation and its intended rectification could present different degrees of risk depending on how and where an aircraft is operated. Therefore, there is always a potential for diverging assessments between TC and a foreign authority of the total risk surrounding a foreign AD. For example, in one case, a foreign AD called for an operational change in procedure which, from TC's point of view, was worse than the situation it was meant to correct. Alternatively, a foreign airworthiness authority could be unwilling or unable to issue an AD in a timely manner.

(iii) ADs are not issued where:

(a) remedial action has already been accomplished on all affected aircraft, and steps have been taken to prevent return to the unsatisfactory state; or

(b) the condition is shown to be caused by improper maintenance practices or procedures, or improper operational procedures which can be corrected by other means.

593.05 Format

A standard format is used for ADs. The principal parts always appear in the same sequence, and are described in Appendix A to this chapter.

593.06 Distribution

The distribution of domestic and foreign ADs, and equivalent notices is detailed in Appendix B to this chapter.

Date modified:
2013-01-23