When will the CAA issue an Airworthiness directive , read below?
Westland air charter ltd made this Official Information request to Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
This request has had an unusual response, and requires attention from the FYI team.
From: Westland air charter ltd
Dear Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand,Hi Al
We are going to be investigating such a potential issue and will consider an Airworthiness Directive in due course.
Shaun
Shaun Johnson
Manager Airworthiness
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
+64278019460
From: Al Gray []
Sent: Thursday, 25 January 2018 8:52 AM
To: Shaun Johnson <>
Subject: Re: crankcase weld repair ZK-CBT
Hi Shaun, When you say historically, that would imply there are General aviation aircraft flying in New Zealand with the same repair? regards Al Gray Westland air charter
On 24/01/2018, at 1:43 PM, Shaun Johnson <> wrote:
Hi Al
Regardless of the fact that CAA has historically approved a weld process, the fact remains that the Engine design and manufacturing authority have made it very clear that welding is not permitted in this area of the crankcase without specific authorisation; as reflected in the approved maintenance procedures.
Notwithstanding the above, I am happy to discuss this issue with Don or Aviation Power Supply staff as required.
Shaun
Shaun Johnson
Manager Airworthiness
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
+64278019460
From: Al Gray []
Sent: Wednesday, 24 January 2018 1:01 PM
To: Shaun Johnson <>
Subject: crankcase weld repair ZK-CBT
Dear Mr Johnson
I have asked the various companies involved in this weld repaired crankcase and have discovered that their process has been approved by CAA .
And their would be a large number of similar aircraft in New Zealand on part 135 ops that you would now need to ground based on this repair that has been performed on these aircraft engines by Oceania aviation and its contracted companies.
I have forwarded your letter of suspension to Mr Don McCracken regarding this engine .
regards Alistair Gray
Westland air charter
Yours faithfully,
Westland air charter ltd
From: OIA
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
18/OIR/177
Dear Mr Gray
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) Request
I refer to your requests made via FYI on 2 & 3 March 2018 in which you
requested minutes from a meeting between the Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) and Oceania Aviation and information on when an Airworthiness
directive will be issued concerning issues outlined in emails attached
with your request.
The CAA considers that the issues that Westland Air Charter wanted to
address, and answers to the above requests, were discussed at a meeting on
20 March 2018 involving yourself and other aviation sector organisations.
If you would like the CAA to post a summary of the discussions on the FYI
website, or you have any other queries concerning your requests for
information, please contact me at [1][CAA request email] or on (04) 560 9472.
Regards,
Tom Wheeler | Official Information & Privacy Advisor
Legal Services
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service
Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa | Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi
Level 15 | Asteron Centre | 55 Featherston Street | Wellington | 6011
PO Box 3555 | Wellington | 6140
(DDI): (04) 560 9472 (Ext): 4472
[2]image002 (2) [3]avsecSeal
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is confidential,
may be privileged and should be read or retained only by the intended
recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please
immediately notify the sender and delete it from your system.
show quoted sections
From: Westland air charter ltd
Dear OIA,Further to this request is a question that raises the legality of such welds.If CAA are allowing welded crankcases in New Zealand aircraft to continue flying , when are we going to see this approval revoked or endorsed by CAA.?
Furthermore ,How would CAA capture an imported aircraft that has been crankcase welded offshore ?
Yours sincerely,
Westland air charter ltd
From: OIA
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
18/OIR/205
Dear Mr Gray,
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) Request
As discussed during the Mar 20 meeting with Mr Johnson, with the exception
of the engine issues associated with ZK-CBT, all other known crankcase
welds are supported by approved technical data. As such, no further
Airworthiness action is required. As also discussed, existing welds in
crankcase assemblies fitted to imported aircraft will be supported by
approved technical data contained within associated technical /
maintenance records; which the CAA reviews as a component of the initial
Airworthiness certification review.
Thanks,
Tom Wheeler | Official Information & Privacy Advisor
Legal Services
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand | Aviation Security Service
Te Mana Rererangi Tūmatanui o Aotearoa | Kaiwhakamaru Rererangi
Level 15 | Asteron Centre | 55 Featherston Street | Wellington | 6011
PO Box 3555 | Wellington | 6140
(DDI): (04) 560 9472 (Ext): 4472
[1]image002 (2) [2]avsecSeal
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is confidential,
may be privileged and should be read or retained only by the intended
recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please
immediately notify the sender and delete it from your system.
show quoted sections
From: Westland air charter ltd
Dear OIA,
Since CAA have singled out one aircraft engine that has been crack welded by a CAA approved workshop, can we expect there have been other aircraft engines welded in the same manner.The fact that CAA state , there was no technical data is false and misleading.If there is no TECHNICAL DATA to supauthorised by the port this weld repair, then CAA should either revoke Oceanias approval or look back historically for all the other welding that was performed by Oceania and its subsidiaries.
There seems to be a double standard here. Most Aviation authorities would take exception to a company performing welding they didnt approve of, but they dont seem to mind in this case.
Ask yourself a certain question, would you still allow a company to perform welds that are not authorised by the manufacturer?
CAA are.
Yours sincerely,
Westland air charter ltd
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