{"id":"F2006B02943","name":"AD/B737/44 - Fuel Tank Access Doors","slug":"ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":42285,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B02943-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/B737/44 - Fuel Tank Access Doors","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n \n\n![](image.001.png)  Boeing 737 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/B737/44 Fuel Tank Access Doors 9/90\n\nApplicability: Models 737-100 and -200 with line positions 1 through 1456.\n\n \n\nModels 737-300 with line positions 1001 through 1505, and 1508.\n\n \n\nRequirement: For 737-100 and -200: Action in accordance with Boeing SB 28A1078 Rev 1.\n\n \n\nFor 737-300: Action in accordance with Boeing SB 28-1081 Rev 1.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Prior to 30 October 1991.\n\n \n\nBackground: The incorporation of the Service Bulletins enables aircraft to comply with FAR 25.963(e) which provides for some fuel tank access panels to have a higher resistance to impact to reduce possibility of penetration from engine debris or objects thrown by the aircraft tyres.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-bound safety directive with a narrow, specific purpose. It has not expanded beyond its original intent of mandating fuel tank door modifications for specific aircraft models."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words of substantive content)","Only 2 defined applicability ranges (by aircraft model and line position)","Simple conditional structure: different service bulletins for different aircraft models","Single compliance deadline with no exceptions or extensions mentioned","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 and the US Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 25.963(e)","No nested definitions or interpretive provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** This is an Airworthiness Directive (AD) — essentially a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for specific Boeing 737 aircraft.\n\n**What it requires:** Owners and operators of certain older Boeing 737 models (the -100, -200, and early -300 series) must modify their aircraft's fuel tank access doors. Specifically, they need to follow technical instructions from Boeing Service Bulletins to strengthen these doors so they can better withstand impacts from engine debris or objects thrown up by the tyres.\n\n**Who it affects:** \n- Boeing 737-100 and -200 aircraft with production line numbers 1 through 1456\n- Boeing 737-300 aircraft with production line numbers 1001 through 1505, and 1508\n\n**Why it matters:** The original design of these fuel tank access panels didn't meet updated US safety standards (specifically FAR 25.963(e)). Without this fix, there's a risk that debris could puncture the fuel tank doors, potentially causing fuel leaks or fire hazards. The directive gave operators until 30 October 1991 to complete the work.\n\n**In short:** If you owned one of these specific Boeing 737s in 1990, you had about a year to upgrade your fuel tank doors to prevent them from being pierced by flying debris."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The AD text does not indicate any change of scope from an earlier instrument or from the original intent. It sets a specific applicability, prescribes compliance with identified Boeing Service Bulletins, and specifies a compliance date; no amendment or scope-expansion language appears in the provided text."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, specific applicability by model and line position reduces scope complexity (Applicability).","Mandates compliance via external manufacturer documents (Boeing Service Bulletins), requiring operators to obtain and interpret those documents (Requirement).","Single, fixed compliance deadline creates a time-bound implementation constraint (Compliance).","AD itself omits technical and cost details, shifting practical complexity to the Service Bulletins and operator planning (Requirement; Background).","Regulatory linkage to an external certification requirement (FAR 25.963(e)) requires cross-reference to that standard to evaluate substantive effect (Background)."],"plain_english_summary":"This AD requires operators of certain Boeing 737s (early -100/-200 and specified -300 line positions) to carry out the modifications set out in the applicable Boeing Service Bulletins and complete the work by 30 October 1991. It affects owners/operators of those identified aircraft and is justified as necessary to meet FAR 25.963(e)’s higher impact resistance for some fuel‑tank access panels to reduce risk of penetration from engine debris or tyre‑thrown objects."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors","history":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-b737-44-fuel-tank-access-doors/documents"}}