Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2009L01504:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2009L01504
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AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/RAD/87 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Radio Communication and Navigation Equipment
AD/RAD/87 Amdt 1  Thales VHF Data Radios  5/2009

Applicability:  Thales Communications France VHF data radios, with the following part numbers (P/N) and serial number (S/N) range:
                    P/N                                                                                                                                                                                                       All S/N up to but not including S/N

                        EVR716-01-0100A                                                                                                                                                                                                 2546
                       EVR716-01-0200A                                                                                                                                                                                                 2546
                       EVR716-11-0300A                                                                                                                                                                                                 2594
                       EVR716-11-0350A                                                                                                                                                                                                 2932
                       EVR750-03-0100A                                                                                                                                                                                                 2546
                Note 1:  These radios are known to be installed on, but not limited to, the following aircraft:
                    Airbus A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340 (all series)

                    Boeing 717, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 (all series)

                    Bombardier (de Havilland) DHC-8-400 series
Requirement:    If not previously accomplished, modify the VHF data radios by incorporating the following Thales Communications Service Bulletins or later revisions approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA):
                       Data Radio P/N                                                                                                                                                                                            Service Bulletin

                     EVR716-11-0300A and                                                                                                                                                                                      EVR716-23-015
                    EVR716-11-0350A

                    EVR716-01-0200A                                                                                                                                                                                           EVR716-23-012 Initial Issue or
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              EVR716-23-012 Rev 01

                    EVR716-01-0100A and                                                                                                                                                                                       EVR7-23-05 Initial Issue or
                    EVR750-03-0100A                                                                                                                                                                                           EVR7-23-05 Rev 01
                Note 2:  EASA AD 2006-0334R1 refers.

Compliance:  No later than 42 months after 15 February 2007, the effective date of the original issue of this Directive.
             This Amendment becomes effective on 7 May 2009.
Background:  During the past few years, a phenomenon known as 'PLOC' (Prolonged Loss of Communications) has emerged.  Over one thousand reports of this type of problem have been received from operators of various types of aircraft with different manufacturer's equipment.  It is suspected that the actual number of occurrences is higher, but due to some 'PLOC' occurrences having a short time interval they were either not noticed by the crew or not reported.  Various studies were performed by Eurocontrol, CAA(UK) and operators to determine if there was a common reason for the occurrences.  The results were not totally conclusive because other technical reasons, within the reported occurrences, may have caused the crew to experience a loss of communication.  One type of 'PLOC' occurrence can be caused by equipment not receiving radio communication from an Air Traffic Controller or another aircraft.  Typically, this type of failure is temporary and can be corrected by the crew of the aircraft