{"id":"F2006B01938","name":"AD/A320/48 Amdt 1 - Wing Rear Spar between Ribs 1and 2","slug":"ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":41160,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B01938-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/A320/48 Amdt 1 - Wing Rear Spar between Ribs 1and 2","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png)  \n\nAIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nFor the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A320/48 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.\n\nAirbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 Series Aeroplanes\n\nAD/A320/48\n\nAmdt 1\n\n  \nWing Rear Spar between Ribs 1and 2 13/2002\n\nApplicability: Model A320-111, \\-211, and 231 aircraft, Manufacturing Serial Number (MSN) 002 through 071, except for aircraft with Airbus Modification No. 21233 incorporated in production or Airbus Service Bulletin A320-57-1021 incorporated in-service.\n\nRequirement: Inspect in accordance with the requirements of DGAC AD 2002-531(B).\n\nNote: Airbus Service Bulletins A320-57-1020 original issue, A320-57-1020 Revision 1, A320-57-1020 Revision 2, and A320-57-1021 refer.\n\nCompliance: As specified in the Requirement document, with a revised effective date of 26 December 2002.\n\nThis Amendment becomes effective on 26 December 2002.\n\nBackground: Full-scale fatigue tests revealed cracking in the wing rear spar between ribs 1 and 2.\n\nAmendment 1 is issued in response to a new DGAC AD which introduces revised inspection threshold and intervals, as a result of a review of A320 in-service aircraft fleet mission parameters and those originally considered.\n\nThe original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 27 April 1995.\n\n![](image.002.jpeg)  \n\nDavid Alan Villiers\n\nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 15 November 2002\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\nThe above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 4 December 2002.\n\n  \n\nPage 1 of 1","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This amendment remains tightly scoped to its original purpose: addressing fatigue cracking in a specific structural component of early-production A320 aircraft. The amendment merely updates inspection thresholds and intervals based on new operational data — it does not expand the aircraft types covered, add new structural areas, or introduce unrelated requirements."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-page document with straightforward structure","Limited conditional logic: applicability hinges on specific model numbers, serial number ranges, and two exclusion conditions (factory modification or in-service repair)","Cross-reference to external technical document (DGAC AD 2002-531(B)) — actual inspection requirements not contained in this instrument","References to four separate Airbus Service Bulletins in a note, though these are informational rather than operative","No defined terms section; only one abbreviation (MSN) explained in parentheses"],"plain_english_summary":"This safety order revokes the earlier AD and requires operators of certain Airbus A320-111/-211/-231 aeroplanes (serials 002–071) to inspect the wing rear spar between ribs 1 and 2 for fatigue cracking that could affect structural integrity.\n\nIt updates inspection timing based on fleet data, exempts aeroplanes already modified (Mod 21233) or repaired per Service Bulletin A320-57-1021, and mandates compliance with DGAC AD 2002-531(B) by 26 December 2002."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendment 1 updates the inspection threshold and intervals for the wing rear spar between ribs 1 and 2 (compared with the original AD), adopts the new DGAC AD requirements, and revokes the previous AD. It continues to apply to A320 MSNs 002–071 but excludes aircraft with Airbus Mod No. 21233 or SB A320-57-1021 already incorporated; the revised effective date is 26 December 2002."},"complexity_factors":["Technical nature: safety-critical structural inspections for wing rear spar cracking discovered in full-scale fatigue tests (Background).","Cross-reference dependence: mandatory compliance is to be performed “in accordance with the requirements of DGAC AD 2002-531(B)” and Airbus Service Bulletins A320-57-1020/1021 (Requirement/Note).","Applicability carve-outs: applies to MSN 002–071 but excludes aircraft with Airbus Modification No. 21233 or SB A320-57-1021 incorporated (Applicability).","Revised inspection regime: Amendment 1 changes inspection thresholds and intervals relative to the original AD, requiring operators to adopt new scheduling (Background/Requirement).","Compliance timing: specifies a revised effective date (26 December 2002) which affects planning and record-keeping (Compliance).","Operational and cost burden: inspections must be carried out by operators, affecting maintenance scheduling, downtime and repair costs (implicit from Requirement/Compliance).","Regulatory enforcement: CASA delegate revoked the prior AD and issued the amendment under CAR subregulation 39.1(1), centralising regulatory decision and enforcement (introductory paragraph/signature)."],"plain_english_summary":"This directive requires operators of Airbus A320-111/‑211/‑231 aircraft (MSN 002–071) to inspect the wing rear spar between ribs 1 and 2, unless Airbus Modification No. 21233 or Service Bulletin A320-57-1021 has already been incorporated. It replaces the earlier AD and adopts revised inspection thresholds and intervals after fatigue tests found cracking.\n\nOperators must perform and schedule the inspections (they bear the cost and operational impact); the CASA delegate enforces compliance and set the revised effective date (26 December 2002)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2","history":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-a320-48-amdt-1-wing-rear-spar-between-ribs-1and-2/documents"}}