{"id":"F2016L01270","name":"AD/BEA 121/27 Amdt 3 - Control Column Handgrip Fitting","slug":"ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":94722,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2016L01270-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) ","sectionType":"part","heading":"de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) Series Aeroplanes","content":"# de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/BEA 121/27 Amdt 3 | Control Column Handgrip Fitting | 17/2016 |\n| -------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------- |\n\n| Applicability: | All models of de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) Series aeroplane. |\n| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement: | Action in accordance with Mandatory Beagle Pup service bulletin (SB) B121/95 Revision 4 issued 8 July 1996. |\n| Compliance: | As specified in the Requirement Document. |\n| | This AD commences on 29 August 2016. |\n| Background: | Cases have been reported of fractures of the handgrips (Part No. BE45-10283) fitted to the control columns of bulldog aircraft. These handgrips are identical to those fitted to Pup aircraft. Failures may be more likely on aircraft operating in climates susceptible to high levels of ultraviolet radiation.AD/BEA 121/27 Amendment 1 was raised in response to two recent occurrences of in‑flight failure of the control column handgrips during aerobatics. The failed handgrips had no evidence of surface cracking. This AD introduces revised inspection procedures to ensure that the handgrips are airworthy.Further testing has established that non destructive inspection is not adequate to detect degradation of strength. AD/BEA 121/27 Amendment 2 lifed the handgrips at five years.AD/BEA 121/27 Amendment 3 is issued to incorporate Beagle Pup SB B121/95 Revision 4. Revision 4 provides two options to the registered operator of the aircraft, namely; option 1 requires replacement of the handgrips at intervals of 5 years if the aircraft and the handgrips are not covered when not in use. Option 2 requires replacement of the handgrips at intervals of 10 years if the aircraft and the handgrips are kept covered when not in use. |\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\nPieter van Dijk \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n8 August 2016","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/BEA 121/27 Amdt 3","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/BEA 121/27 Amdt 3","content":"## AD/BEA 121/27 Amdt 3","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Control Column Handgrip Fitting","sectionType":"part","heading":"Control Column Handgrip Fitting","content":"## Control Column Handgrip Fitting","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"17/2016","sectionType":"part","heading":"17/2016","content":"## 17/2016","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendment 3 alters the practical compliance regime from prior inspection-based measures and a single five-year life to two replacement-interval options (5 years if not covered, 10 years if kept covered), via incorporation of Service Bulletin B121/95 Revision 4."},"complexity_factors":["Single, specific technical requirement (handgrip replacement) rather than broad regulatory change","Two compliance options based on a binary operational condition (covered vs uncovered) adds conditionality","Incorporation of an external document (Service Bulletin B121/95 Revision 4) as the normative Requirement Document","Linkage to operational facts (UV exposure, aerobatics) and an engineering judgment that non‑destructive inspection is unreliable","Obligations on registered operators to schedule, fund and record recurring replacements, and on regulator to enforce compliance"],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive requires operators of all de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) aeroplanes to follow Mandatory Beagle Pup Service Bulletin B121/95 Revision 4: replace control-column handgrips every 5 years if the aircraft/handgrips are not kept covered, or every 10 years if they are. It commenced 29 August 2016. Registered operators pay for replacements, must update maintenance schedules and records, and comply with the Requirement Document; the AD responds to reported in‑flight handgrip fractures and a finding that non‑destructive inspection is inadequate."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is Amendment 3 of an existing Airworthiness Directive. The scope remains tightly focused on control column handgrip replacement intervals for the Beagle Pup aircraft series. While the amendment introduces flexibility (two replacement intervals based on storage conditions), this is a refinement of the original safety mandate rather than scope creep. The directive has not expanded to cover other aircraft types, other components, or broader operational requirements."},"complexity_factors":["Single, specific aircraft type (Beagle B.121 Pup series)","Only one substantive requirement: comply with referenced Service Bulletin B121/95 Rev 4","Two simple alternative compliance paths (5-year vs 10-year replacement) based on one binary condition (covered vs uncovered storage)","No defined terms section, no cross-references to other legislation, no conditional exceptions","Background narrative explains evolution but doesn't create legal complexity","Total length: approximately 300 words of operative text"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive orders owners/operators of de Havilland Support Beagle B.121 (Pup) aircraft to follow Service Bulletin B121/95 Revision 4 and replace control‑column handgrips on a fixed schedule (every 5 years if stored uncovered, 10 years if kept covered). It responds to UV‑driven cracking that has caused in‑flight grip failures and imposes a life‑limit to prevent loss of aircraft control."},"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-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting","history":"/api/acts/ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-bea-121-27-amdt-3-control-column-handgrip-fitting/documents"}}