{"id":"F2006B03567","name":"AD/BAL/6 - Blanking Hose Ends","slug":"ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":43134,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B03567-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/BAL/6 - Blanking Hose Ends","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)  Hot Air Balloons\n\n \n\nAD/BAL/6 Blanking Hose Ends 5/86 DM\n\nApplicability: All balloons.\n\n \n\nRequirement: Any hose disconnected from a system shall have a pressure seal blank fitting installed on the unattached end.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Any time one end of a hose is disconnected and the other end remains connected to a source of pressurized LPG.\n\n \n\nBackground: Some operations are conducted with one or more cylinders of a manifold system removed. In these cases operators rely on the seals of the hose end fitting disconnect check valve to retain pressurized LPG.\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\n \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The scope set out in the instrument (apply to all balloons; require a pressure-seal blank fitting on any disconnected hose when the other end remains connected to pressurised LPG) aligns with the Background explanation that operators sometimes remove cylinders and currently rely on hose-end check valves. The AD’s requirement directly addresses that described risk and does not, in the text provided, expand beyond that stated purpose (Applicability; Requirement; Background; Compliance)."},"complexity_factors":["Single, narrowly framed requirement applying to all balloons (Applicability; Requirement).","Clear, event-triggered compliance condition: any time one end is disconnected while the other end remains connected to pressurised LPG (Compliance).","No detailed technical specification of the required \"pressure seal blank fitting\" in the text, producing minor interpretive uncertainty (Requirement).","Low regulatory layering—no additional procedures, record-keeping or inspection regime specified in this AD (text provided).","Compliance depends on human action at the time of disconnection, creating practical risk of omission despite low legal complexity (Compliance)."],"plain_english_summary":"This rule requires that whenever a hot‑air balloon hose is disconnected while the other end remains attached to a pressurised LPG source, the open end must be fitted with a pressure‑seal blank (capped blanking fitting). It applies to all balloon operators and maintenance personnel.\n\nWhy it matters: it prevents pressurised LPG escaping during partial disconnection, shifting a small ongoing equipment and procedural cost to operators (who may instead choose to depressurise before disconnecting). The AD does not specify technical fitting standards."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, single-purpose safety directive. It has not expanded beyond its original narrow scope of requiring blanking caps on disconnected LPG hoses in balloon fuel systems."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document (under 150 words)","No defined terms section","No cross-references to other legislation","Single, unambiguous requirement with clear trigger condition","No exceptions, exemptions, or conditional logic","Plain language throughout ('Any hose disconnected...shall have')"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive** (a mandatory safety rule) for hot air balloons that use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas, or propane) as fuel.\n\n**What it does:**\nIf you disconnect a fuel hose from a balloon's burner system, you **must** put a proper blanking cap or seal on the loose end — you can't just rely on the hose's built-in check valve to stop gas leaking out.\n\n**Who it affects:**\nAnyone who operates or maintains hot air balloons in Australia, specifically when they're working with the fuel system and might remove one gas cylinder from a multi-cylinder setup.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nSome balloon operators were removing cylinders from multi-tank systems and trusting the hose's internal valve to keep the remaining pressurized gas contained. This directive says that's not safe enough — a proper physical cap is required to prevent dangerous gas leaks that could cause fire or explosion."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends","history":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-bal-6-blanking-hose-ends/documents"}}