{"id":"F2006B08849","name":"AD/DC4/6 - Fuel Transfer Placard - Installation","slug":"ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":52340,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B08849-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/DC4/6 - Fuel Transfer Placard - Installation","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)  Douglas DC4 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/DC4/6 Fuel Transfer Placard - Installation NK\n\nApplicability: All DC4, C54-DC, C54A-DC, C54B-DC, C54D-DC, C54E-DC, C54G-DC.\n\n \n\nRequirement: 1. The transfer of fuel between tanks on these aircraft whilst in flight is prohibited.\n\n \n\n2.    Install the following placard in the cockpit, in full view of both pilots:\n\n \n\n“FUEL CROSS FEED SYSTEM IS NOT INTENDED FOR TRANSFERRING FUEL FROM ONE TANK TO ANOTHER AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE. WHEN USING CROSS FEED SYSTEM, TURN OFF TANK(S) NOT IN USE”.\n\n \n\n3.    Amend Operations Manuals accordingly; or FAA AD 48-9-1; or\n\nANO 105.1.16.2.5.5.\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 Airworthiness Directive maintains its original narrow scope: addressing a specific unsafe condition (in-flight fuel transfer) in a specific aircraft type (Douglas DC-4 series). The inclusion of alternative compliance via FAA or British orders does not expand scope but provides regulatory flexibility. The directive remains precisely targeted at its original safety purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words of substantive content)","Only 3 operative requirements with no sub-paragraphs or nested conditions","Zero defined terms in an interpretation section","No cross-references to other legislation beyond optional alternative compliance paths (FAA AD 48-9-1 or ANO 105.1.16.2.5.5)","Simple unconditional prohibition ('is prohibited') with straightforward positive obligations","Single applicability criterion with explicit aircraft model list"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for specific aircraft.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Bans in-flight fuel transfers** between tanks on certain Douglas DC-4 series aircraft (including military variants like the C-54).\n- **Requires a warning placard** to be installed in the cockpit where both pilots can clearly see it. The placard warns that the fuel cross-feed system is not designed for transferring fuel between tanks and should not be used for that purpose. It also instructs pilots to turn off tanks not in use when operating the cross-feed system.\n- **Requires updates to Operations Manuals** — the aircraft's official operating instructions must reflect this restriction.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Owners and operators of Douglas DC-4, C54-DC, C54A-DC, C54B-DC, C54D-DC, C54E-DC, and C54G-DC aircraft.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nFuel cross-feed systems are designed to balance fuel supply to engines, not to move fuel between tanks. Using them for transfers during flight can create dangerous fuel imbalances or system failures. This directive prevents a potentially hazardous practice by making the prohibition visible in the cockpit and enforceable through operational procedures. It references equivalent American (FAA) and British (ANO) safety orders, showing this is a harmonised international safety concern."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive's scope is the set of DC‑4/C‑54 variants listed in the Applicability line. The instrument does not expand or narrow that applicability within the text provided; it prescribes specific behavioural and documentation requirements for those aircraft only (Requirements 1–3)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow applicability limited to specific DC‑4/C‑54 variants (Applicability line).","Short, discrete requirements: clear prohibition, fixed placard text, and manual amendment or alternate compliance (Requirements 1–3).","No technical installation or modification instructions beyond a placard and manual amendment—low technical complexity (Requirement 2 and 3).","Provides an alternative compliance path (FAA AD 48‑9‑1 or ANO 105.1.16.2.5.5), which introduces minimal procedural choice for operators (Requirement 3).","Operational consequences (loss of in‑flight fuel transfer option) create practical tradeoffs for operators despite legal simplicity (Requirement 1)."],"plain_english_summary":"Mechanically, this airworthiness directive (AD) does three things for Douglas DC‑4 family aeroplanes listed in the applicability line: (a) it forbids transferring fuel between tanks while airborne (Requirement 1); (b) it requires a specific cockpit placard, legible to both pilots, that warns the cross‑feed system is not to be used to move fuel from one tank to another (Requirement 2; placard text provided); and (c) it requires operators to amend their operations manuals accordingly or to comply with FAA AD 48‑9‑1 or ANO 105.1.16.2.5.5 as stated (Requirement 3).\n\nWho this affects\n- Aircraft: The listed DC‑4/C‑54 variants named in the Applicability line.  \n- Operators/owners and flight crew: they must install the placard, update manuals or follow the specified alternative AD/standard, and ensure pilots comply with the in‑flight prohibition.\n\nWhy it matters (stated purpose and practical effect)\n- The directive’s stated operational restriction (Requirement 1) and the mandated placard text (Requirement 2) aim to stop in‑flight transfer of fuel between tanks using the cross‑feed system. The text on the placard explicitly says the cross‑feed system \"is not intended for transferring fuel from one tank to another and should not be used for this purpose.\" The directive therefore changes a permitted cockpit practice into a prohibited action for these aircraft.\n\nPractical compliance and incentives\n- Who pays and who acts: Operators/owners pay for the placard installation and for revising operations manuals (Requirements 2 and 3). Pilots are the decision‑makers in flight and must follow the prohibition (Requirement 1). Operators choose whether to meet Requirement 3 by directly amending manuals or by adopting the alternate references (FAA AD 48‑9‑1 or ANO 105.1.16.2.5.5).\n- Direct costs: physical placard(s) and labour to fit them; administrative time to amend operations manuals and distribute changes to crew (Requirements 2 and 3). Costs are one‑off and modest in scale compared with major modifications, based on the directive’s content.\n- Behavioural change and operational tradeoffs: crews lose the option to shift fuel between tanks in flight. That reduces an in‑flight procedure available for fuel management and imbalance correction, which may force operators to change fuel planning, reserves, routing, or loading practices. Those operational adjustments are opportunity costs borne by operators and could affect range, payload decisions or scheduling flexibility.\n\nImplementation risk, compliance burden and discretion\n- Implementation risk: the AD prescribes physical and procedural changes (placard and manual amendment). The risk is primarily that crews or operators fail to implement or follow the new limits; the text does not specify enforcement mechanics but is issued as a CASA airworthiness directive (header).  \n- Compliance burden: primarily administrative and low‑cost fitment of a placard plus manual revisions (Requirements 2 and 3). The directive offers an alternative compliance route by reference to an FAA AD or an ANO provision (Requirement 3), which provides operators with a choice that may reduce uncertainty about the precise amendment language required.\n\nEffects on market actors and competition (light market‑prior questions)\n- Competition and ownership: the requirement applies only to specific aircraft types. It does not directly change market entry, ownership rules or competitive conditions outside that narrow fleet.  \n- Productivity and price effects: the measures are unlikely to affect broader market prices; any productivity or cost effect is limited to affected operators who may incur modest compliance costs or altered operational efficiency due to the loss of in‑flight fuel transfer as an option.  \n- Independent operators: small operators of the listed types bear the same compliance items (placard and manual change) as large operators; operational impacts (fuel planning, payload choices) could be relatively more significant for operators that rely on cross‑feed for operational flexibility.\n\nNet summary in plain language\n- This AD stops in‑flight fuel transfers between tanks on the listed DC‑4/C‑54 aircraft, forces a cockpit placard with specified wording, and requires corresponding manual amendments or acceptance of the named alternate documents (Requirements 1–3). The direct cost is installation and administrative change; the operational effect is loss of a fuel‑management option in flight, which may require altered fuel planning or operational practices by affected operators."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation","history":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-dc4-6-fuel-transfer-placard-installation/documents"}}