Fed: Ansett, CASA spat over safety terms

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2001
Fed: Ansett, CASA spat over safety terms

MELBOURNE, April 21 AAP - Failure to replace a part in a 767's landing gear was not
a valid safety issue as claimed by CASA, Ansett boss Gary Toomey said today.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority claims Ansett waited two and a half months too
long before overhauling the landing gear on one of its 767 aircraft.

But Mr Toomey said the overdue maintenance was within accepted practice world-wide
and CASA's accusations were doing nothing to restore confidence in the beleaguered airline.

CASA grounded Ansett's fleet of 10 Boeing 767s shortly before Easter over concerns
about the safety of the planes.

The aviation safety watchdog cleared the first of the grounded 767s yesterday but said
it could be weeks before the remaining nine returned to the air.

The landing gear part in question has been in service for 10 years and two and a half
months. Boeing maintenance schedules stipulate an overhaul at the end of 10 years.

"Boeing says this is a part which must be changed as soon as it reaches 10 years old,"

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said.

"We have checked with Boeing and they are even saying that maybe 10 years is too long.

"Boeing said that over 10 years corrosion begins within the landing gear and this time
limit cannot be extended."

However, Mr Toomey told reporters the part was well within known operational tolerances
and asked CASA to stop making claims which he said undermined confidence in the airline.

"It is curious that CASA is making these claims ... when we want to get on and get
the aircraft in the sky," Mr Toomey said.

"This kind of thing is not helpful ... it does nothing for confidence in Ansett.

"It is internationally accepted practice that parts can be replaced at 110 per cent
of timeframe, or four months, whichever is the lesser," Mr Toomey said.

"This was an aircraft which was scheduled for heavy maintenance and this part was to
be replaced within this internationally accepted timeframe," he said.

Ansett and CASA also disagreed about how the part's status was discovered.

CASA said it came to light through its audit while Ansett said it told CASA about the part.

AAP ag/jas/jnb/sb

KEYWORD: ANSETT NIGHTLEAD

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