{"id":"F2007L04231","name":"AD/B747/364 - Water and Drain Line Heater Tapes","slug":"ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":70440,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2007L04231-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes","sectionType":"division","heading":"Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes","content":"### Boeing 747 Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/B747/364 | Water and Drain Line Heater Tapes | 12/2007 |\n| ----------- | --------------------------------- | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | Model 747 aeroplanes, as identified in Boeing Service Bulletin (SB) 747-30A2080, Revision 3, dated 14 June 2007. |\n| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| | Note 1: For the purposes of this Directive, a cargo area that is not fully enclosed or not enclosed, as identified in SB 747-30A2080, Revision 3, is a floor without panels installed between all roller trays in the cargo compartment. |\n| Requirement: | 1. Carry out a general visual inspection of the forward and aft cargo compartments, as applicable, for foreign object debris (FOD) or contamination on, near or around the potable water supply and gray water drain lines in accordance with SB 747-30A2080, Revision 3. |\n| | 2. Carry out a general visual inspection of the forward and aft cargo compartments, as applicable, for indications of heat damage, exposed foam insulation or missing or damaged protective tape of all heater tape on the potable water supply and gray water drain lines in accordance with SB 747-30A2080, Revision 3. |\n| | 3. Repair any discrepancies detected during the Requirement 1 and 2 inspections in accordance with SB 747-30A2080, Revision 3. |\n| | 4. Replace the heater tape on the potable water supply and gray water drain lines of the forward and aft cargo compartments, as applicable, with Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of SB747-30A2080, Revision 3. |\n| | The replacement of the heater tape on the potable water supply and gray water drain lines terminates the Requirement 1 and 2 repetitive inspections. |\n| | Actions accomplished before the effective date of this Directive in accordance with: |\n| | a. Boeing Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 747-30A2080, either the original version dated 16 December 2004, or Revision 1, dated 18 August 2005, are acceptable for compliance with the corresponding requirements of this Directive; except, for Group 2, Configuration 2 and Configuration 3 aeroplanes, as defined in Revision 2 of the service bulletin, additional work is required in the forward cargo compartment, as specified in Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the service bulletin and required by this Directive. |\n\n```html\n

b. ASB 747-30A2080, Revision 2, dated 14 September 2006, are acceptable for compliance with the corresponding requirements of this Directive.

Later revisions of SB 747-30A2080, Revision 3, approved by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Alternate Method of Compliance (AMOC) to FAA AD 2007-19-16, are considered acceptable for compliance with the equivalent Requirements of this Directive.

Note 2: FAA AD 2007-19-16 Amdt 39-15207 refers.

Compliance:

For Requirement 1 - Either within 18 months after the date of issue of the original Certificate of Airworthiness, or within 18 months after the date of the issue of the original Export Certificate of Airworthiness, or within 90 days after the effective date of this Directive, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 600 hours time in service (TIS) until Requirement 4 is accomplished.

For Requirement 2 - Either within 18 months after the date of issue of the original Certificate of Airworthiness, or within 18 months after the date of the issue of the original Export Certificate of Airworthiness, or within 90 days after the effective date of this Directive, whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 1,800 hours TIS until Requirement 4 is accomplished.

For Requirement 3 - Before further flight after the Requirement 1 or 2 inspections, as applicable.

For Requirement 4 - At the applicable time specified in Table 1.

Table 1

For aeroplanes on which the heater tape has:

Replace the heater tape at the later of:

(1) Not been replaced before the effective date of this Directive in accordance with Boeing ASB 747-30A2079, dated 12 December 2002; or Revision 1, dated 16 October 2003; or Revision 2, dated 16 December 2004

Within 42 months since the date of issue of the original Certificate of Airworthiness or the date of issue of the original Export Certificate of Airworthiness, whichever occurs first

24 months after the effective date of this Directive

(2) Been replaced before the effective date of this Directive in accordance with ASB 747-30A2079; or Revision 1; or Revision 2

Within 42 months after the heater tape was replaced

24 months after the effective date of this Directive.

\n```\n\n| | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 22 November 2007. |\n| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Background: | This Directive supersedes AD/B747/310, which has been cancelled. That Directive required a one-time inspection for discrepancies of the potable water and drain lines in the cargo compartments and, if necessary, the accomplishment of corrective action. |\n| | This new Directive requires that the inspection be repetitively performed using new service information, until terminating action is accomplished. The Directive also removes certain aeroplanes from the applicability. The Directive results from a report from the FAA of a fire in the aft cargo compartment started by a potable water line heater tape and is issued to prevent overheating of the heater tape on potable water fill and drain lines, which could ignite accumulated debris or contaminants on or near the potable water fill and drain lines, resulting in a fire in the aeroplane. |\n\n![](image.001.png) \nDavid Punshon \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n2 October 2007","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/B747/364","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/B747/364","content":"## AD/B747/364","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Water and Drain Line Heater Tapes","sectionType":"part","heading":"Water and Drain Line Heater Tapes","content":"## Water and Drain Line Heater Tapes","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"12/2007","sectionType":"part","heading":"12/2007","content":"## 12/2007","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This directive supersedes and narrows scope compared to AD/B747/310. The original directive required a one-time inspection. This version: (1) expands to require repetitive inspections until terminating action, (2) removes certain aircraft from applicability that were previously covered, and (3) mandates eventual replacement rather than just inspection and repair. The scope shifted from 'inspect once and fix if needed' to 'inspect repeatedly until you replace the component entirely'."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple compliance pathways with 'whichever occurs later' logic (4 different timing triggers across requirements)","Nested conditional applicability: Group 2, Configuration 2 and 3 aircraft have additional work requirements if prior actions taken under earlier service bulletin versions","Cross-references to 4 different versions of Boeing Service Bulletin 747-30A2080 and 3 versions of ASB 747-30A2079","Table-based compliance deadlines with dual-column 'later of' conditions","Termination clause: Requirement 4 completion nullifies repetitive inspection obligations for Requirements 1 and 2","Defined term 'cargo area that is not fully enclosed' requires interpretation via Note 1 referencing specific floor panel configurations","Acceptable prior compliance provisions with exception carve-outs for specific aircraft groups"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive requires operators of certain Boeing 747s (per Boeing SB 747-30A2080, Rev 3) to inspect cargo bay water/drain lines and electrical heater tapes for debris, contamination, or heat damage and to repair defects. Affected aircraft must ultimately replace legacy heater tapes with Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters, which ends the need for repeat inspections.\n\nInspections start within 18 months of first airworthiness certification or 90 days after the AD, with recurring checks until replacement, to prevent heater-tape–caused cargo fires."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. Compared with the earlier AD it supersedes (AD/B747/310), this directive expands the regulatory approach from a one-time inspection to mandatory repetitive inspections (Requirements 1 and 2) that continue until a specified terminating action (replacement with Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters) is performed (Requirement 4). It also narrows or alters applicability by removing certain aeroplanes from the original applicability list (Background). Mechanically, the instrument therefore both enlarges regulatory coverage over time (by imposing ongoing inspection cycles) and shifts behaviour toward a one‑off replacement option that terminates recurring obligations; it also introduces a specified supplier/product for the terminating action and allows compliance through particular service bulletin revisions or FAA‑approved AMOCs (service bulletin/AMOC cross-reference)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple mandatory actions (Requirements 1–4) with different purposes (inspection for contamination, inspection for heat damage, repairs, replacement).","Different repetition intervals: Requirement 1 (every 600 hours TIS) vs Requirement 2 (every 1,800 hours TIS).","Termination logic: replacing heater tape (with a specified product) stops repetitive inspections (single exception/terminate condition).","Table 1 contains conditional timing rules depending on whether heater tape was previously replaced and on Certificate of Airworthiness dates (two alternative timing triggers).","Acceptable compliance via multiple service bulletin revisions and FAA-approved AMOCs introduces cross-authority cross-references and conditional acceptability.","Notes modifying applicability and interpretation (Note 1 defines a cargo configuration; Note 2 references an FAA AD).","Background changes the regulatory scope by superseding an earlier Directive (AD/B747/310) — cross-referencing the prior instrument."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)**\n\n- It requires operators of certain Boeing 747 aeroplanes (those listed in Boeing Service Bulletin 747-30A2080, Revision 3) to inspect and, if necessary, repair or replace heater tape on potable water supply and gray water drain lines in the forward and aft cargo compartments. (Requirements 1–4.)\n- Two types of inspections are mandated:\n - A general visual inspection for foreign object debris (FOD) or contamination near the water and drain lines (Requirement 1).\n - A general visual inspection for signs of heat damage, exposed insulation, or missing/damaged protective tape on the heater tape (Requirement 2).\n- Any issues found during those inspections must be repaired before further flight (Requirement 3).\n- As a terminating action to the repetitive inspections, the directive requires replacement of the heater tape with Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters, following Boeing’s service instructions (Requirement 4). Replacing the heater tape stops the need for the repetitive inspections.\n- The directive accepts work done using earlier Boeing Alert Service Bulletins (ASB) and allows later revisions of the service bulletin to be used if the FAA has approved them as an Alternate Method of Compliance (AMOC). (Service bulletin acceptance and AMOC language.)\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- Aircraft operators and maintenance organisations responsible for Boeing 747 series aeroplanes identified in the cited Boeing service bulletin. (Applicability.)\n- Maintenance personnel who will perform the visual inspections, repairs and heater-tape replacement.\n- Suppliers of the specified heater tape (Adel Wiggins) are likely to receive demand for replacement parts. (Requirement 4.)\n\n**Key timing and frequency rules**\n\n- Initial timing for the inspections: either within 18 months after issuance of the original Certificate of Airworthiness (or original Export Certificate), or within 90 days after the directive becomes effective — whichever is later. (Compliance: Requirements 1 and 2.)\n- Repetition intervals until replacement is done:\n - Requirement 1 inspections (FOD/contamination): not to exceed every 600 hours time in service (TIS). (Compliance.)\n - Requirement 2 inspections (heat damage / tape condition): not to exceed every 1,800 hours TIS. (Compliance.)\n- Any repairs found by those inspections must be completed before further flight. (Requirement 3.)\n- Replacement timing (Requirement 4) is set by a table: replacement is required at the later of either a set number of months since original Certificate of Airworthiness or a set number of months after previous replacement (see Table 1 for the two alternative timing rows). Replacement must also be done within 24 months after the directive’s effective date in some cases. (Table 1 / Compliance.)\n\n**Why it matters (stated purpose and the trade-offs)**\n\n- Stated purpose: to prevent overheating of potable water and drain line heater tape that could ignite nearby debris/contaminants and cause a cargo-compartment fire. The directive follows an FAA report of a fire that started from a potable water line heater tape. (Background; Note 2: FAA AD referenced.)\n\n- Direct safety mechanism: repeated inspection to find contamination, damage or missing protection (Requirements 1–2), immediate corrective action (Requirement 3), and eventual replacement with a specified ribbon heater as the terminating fix (Requirement 4).\n\n**Who pays and who decides**\n\n- Aircraft operators bear the costs: labour for repeated inspections, any repairs, parts and labour to replace the heater tape, and aircraft downtime while work is done. (Requirements and Compliance.)\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issues and enforces the directive; compliance is achieved by following the Boeing service bulletin versions or FAA‑approved AMOCs. (Applicability; service bulletin/AMOC text.)\n\n**Implementation, incentives and practical effects**\n\n- Incentive structure: replacing the heater tape with the specified ribbon heater removes the need for recurring inspections, so operators face a choice between recurring inspection costs and a one-off replacement cost. (Requirement 4; “terminates the Requirement 1 and 2 repetitive inspections.”)\n- Supplier concentration: the directive specifies Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters for replacement. That creates concentrated demand for that supplier’s product and limits substitution unless an approved alternate is used under the service bulletin or an FAA AMOC. (Requirement 4; service bulletin acceptance / AMOC.)\n- Operational burden: inspections are general visual checks, but frequency and the need to repair before flight can increase maintenance scheduling complexity and aircraft downtime. Cargo-compartment configuration matters for inspection access (Note 1 identifies what “not fully enclosed” cargo area means). (Note 1; Requirements 1–3.)\n- Compliance flexibility: earlier Boeing ASBs are accepted for compliance in many cases, and later service bulletin revisions approved by the FAA as AMOCs are acceptable, which provides some pathway for alternate methods or updated procedures. (Service bulletin acceptance and AMOC language.)\n\n**Costs, risks and trade-offs to surface**\n\n- Costs: recurring inspection labour (600‑hour and 1,800‑hour cycles), repair parts and labour, and the material and installation cost of Adel Wiggins ribbon heaters if replacing. Aircraft downtime for replacement may be higher than for inspections alone. (Requirements; Compliance; Table 1.)\n- Benefits: the directive targets a specific ignition risk reported by the FAA; replacing the heater tape eliminates the recurring inspection burden and, per the stated rationale, reduces the risk of heater-tape‑initiated fires. (Background; Requirement 4.)\n- Implementation risks: inspections rely on general visual checks which can miss concealed damage; cargo compartment configurations or obstructed access could make inspection or replacement more time-consuming. (Note 1; Requirements 1–2.)\n- Opportunity costs: resources (maintenance slots, skilled technicians, spare parts budgets) used for these actions cannot be used elsewhere. Operators who replace heater tape earlier may incur higher immediate costs but avoid repeated inspection costs.\n\n**Relevant cross-references and limitations**\n\n- The directive supersedes a prior one-time-inspection AD (AD/B747/310) and replaces that single check regime with repetitive inspections until replacement is carried out. It also removes some aeroplanes from applicability compared with the earlier AD. (Background.)\n- The directive defers in part to Boeing service bulletins and FAA approvals for technical detail and allowable alternatives. (Service bulletin acceptance and AMOC language.)\n\n"},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes","history":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-b747-364-water-and-drain-line-heater-tapes/documents"}}