{"id":"F2006B09027","name":"AD/DHC-2/10 Amdt 8 - Lift Strut and Lift Strut Attachment Fittings","slug":"ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":52712,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B09027-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/DHC-2/10 Amdt 8 - Lift Strut and Lift Strut Attachment Fittings","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png) \nDHC-2 (Beaver) Series Aeroplanes\n\nAD/DHC-2/10\n\nAmdt 8\n\n \nLift Strut and Lift Strut Attachment Fittings 3/88\n\nApplicability: All models.\n\nRequirement: 1. Carry out a fluorescent penetrant inspection for cracking of the upper attachment fitting of each lift strut at the times specified in compliance table, item (1).\n\n 2. Replace the complete lift struts with new struts at the lives specified in compliance table, Item (1).\n\nNote: The attention of operators is also drawn to de Havilland Aircraft Company of Canada SB No 2/43.\n\n 3. Replace the wing/strut attachment fittings and the fuselage/strut attachment fittings with new fittings at the lives specified in compliance table, Items (2) and (3).\n\n 4. Check for looseness of the lift strut attachment bolts in their holes, and for any evidence of misalignment of the strut or of the wing and fuselage strut attachment fittings at the times specified in compliance table, Item (4). Any misalignment or looseness of fit shall be corrected before further flight.\n\n 5. Replace strut upper and lower attachment bolts with new bolts, at the times specified in compliance table, Item (5).\n\nCompliance: Retirement Lives and Inspections:\n\nColumns headed “A” apply to components which have at any time been fitted to an aircraft while engaged in agricultural operations.\n\nColumns headed “B” apply to components which have never been fitted to an aircraft while engaged in agricultural operations.\n\nInspection intervals and Retirement Lives are in hours time in service and for modified struts are in hours time in service of the oldest component of the strut.\n\n```html\n

Item Component

Part Number

Component Inspection Times

Component Retirement Life

A

B

A

B

1. Lift Strut

C2W1103A

Initial 2100

Not required

2480 hours

20000 hours

C2W1104A

hours

by this AD

Lift Struts

RU C2W1103A

Repeat after

modified by

RL C2W1103A

200 hours

Mod. S.O.O.

RLU C2W1103A

2040 and Kit

RU C2W1104A

C2W1113

RL C2W1104A

RLU C2W1104A

Lift Strut

C2W1115-1

Not required

Not required

25000 hours

Not required

C2W1115-2

by this AD

by this AD

by this AD

\n```\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n```html\n

All other numbers

NOT PERMITTED IN OPERATION

2. Wing/Strut attachment fitting

C2W781 C2W782

Not required by this AD

Not required by this AD

30000 hours

Not required by this AD

3. Fuselage/Strut attachment fitting

C2FS419A C2FS5475A C2FS5487A

Not required by this AD

Not required by this AD

30000 hours

Not required by this AD

4. See para 4.

Each time a new lift strut or attachment fitting is fitted and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 2500 hours

Not applicable

5. See para 5.

AN180-26 C2W497

Not applicable

Each time a new lift strut or attachment fitting is fitted

AN180-26

C2W497 used with C2W1115-1/-2

fittings

Not applicable

5000 hours

or 60000

flights which ever occurs first

Each time a new lift strut or attachment is fitted.

\n```\n\nBackground: This directive promulgates retirement lives and inspections to prevent/detect fatigue cracking in the lift strut and its attachments. These requirements are based on fatigue testing and analysis carried out by the manufacturer following a number of in-flight failures.\n\nAmendment 8 draws the attention of operators to DHC SB 2/43, which warns against using the lift strut for mooring the aircraft, attachment of external loads, etc. Such usage may significantly reduce the fatigue life of the lift strut assembly.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Amendment 8 refines and clarifies mandatory inspections and retirement lives for lift struts and attachment fittings and highlights the manufacturer Service Bulletin warning about external loads. Those changes update and tighten the original airworthiness directive’s measures to address fatigue cracking, but they do not expand the AD beyond its original safety objective (preventing/detecting fatigue cracking of the lift‑strut assembly). The amendment adjusts intervals and adds detail (including agricultural‑use differentiation and specific prohibited part numbers), rather than changing the fundamental scope of the directive."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple component categories and part numbers listed (lift struts, wing/strut fittings, fuselage/strut fittings, multiple bolt part numbers).","Dual compliance columns (A and B) creating different inspection intervals/retirement lives depending on whether component has been used in agricultural operations.","Mixture of actions: inspections (fluorescent penetrant), repeat inspection intervals, immediate replacements \"by this AD\", and scheduled retirements (hours or flights).","Use of shorthand/modification codes in the table (e.g. RU, RL, RLU, Mod. S.O.O.) that require cross‑interpretation to apply intervals.","Different units and metrics in the tables (hours time‑in‑service, flights) and multiple lifetime thresholds (e.g. 2,480 h; 20,000 h; 30,000 h; 60,000 flights).","Explicit prohibition for unspecified part numbers (“NOT PERMITTED IN OPERATION”) combined with permitted part numbers and lifetimes.","Cross‑reference to manufacturer Service Bulletin (DHC SB 2/43) which imposes additional operational constraints (mooring/external loads)."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics)\n\n- Requires specific inspections and mandatory replacements for the lift strut assembly and its attachment fittings on all de Havilland DHC‑2 (Beaver) aeroplanes. (See Requirement items 1–5.)\n\n- Inspections: a fluorescent penetrant (non‑destructive) inspection of the upper lift‑strut attachment fitting for cracking at the times shown in the compliance table (Requirement 1; Compliance table, Item 1).\n\n- Mandatory replacements: full replacement of lift struts, and replacement of wing/strut and fuselage/strut attachment fittings and attachment bolts at the retirement lives specified in the compliance tables (Requirement 2, 3 and 5; Compliance table, Items 1–3 and 5).\n\n- Operational checks: check for looseness of attachment bolts and for misalignment of strut, wing or fuselage attachment fittings when new parts are fitted and at periodic intervals (Requirement 4; Compliance table, Item 4). Any looseness or misalignment must be corrected before further flight.\n\n- The compliance table distinguishes components that have ever been used in agricultural operations (column “A”) from those that have not (column “B”). Different inspection intervals and retirement lives apply to those two categories.\n\n- Some part numbers are explicitly given lifetimes; other part numbers are declared not permitted in operation (Compliance tables).\n\n- The AD draws operator attention to manufacturer Service Bulletin DHC SB 2/43, which warns that using the lift strut for mooring or attaching external loads reduces fatigue life (Note; Background).\n\nWho this affects\n\n- Owners and operators of DHC‑2 (Beaver) aeroplanes worldwide that are subject to this AD.\n- Maintenance organisations and mechanics who must perform the required fluorescent‑penetrant inspections, bolt/fitting checks and the scheduled replacements.\n- Parts suppliers, because defined retirement lives and prohibited part numbers will increase demand for approved replacement struts, fittings and bolts.\n\nWhy it matters (stated purpose and technical basis)\n\n- The AD is intended to detect and prevent fatigue cracking and consequent in‑flight failures of the lift strut assembly. The requirements are based on manufacturer fatigue testing and analysis following several in‑flight failures (Background).\n\nPractical implications, costs and incentives (testing the stated purpose)\n\n- Who pays: aircraft operators pay for inspections, the labour for bolt/fitting checks, and the cost of replacing struts, fittings and bolts at the retirement lives specified (Requirement 2, 3, 5; Compliance table).\n\n- Who decides in practice: maintenance providers carry out the inspections and replacements; the operator must schedule these actions to meet the AD times. The regulator enforces compliance.\n\n- Direct costs and downtime: replacement of complete struts and fittings is a material cost plus aircraft out‑of‑service time. Fluorescent penetrant inspection requires appropriately rated maintenance staff and facilities.\n\n- Differential burden by operation type: components used during agricultural operations face shorter inspection intervals and earlier retirement lives (Compliance: columns A v B). Operators who conduct agricultural work or previously did so will therefore incur higher recurring costs.\n\n- Supply and logistics risk: mandatory retirements and prohibitions on non‑listed part numbers can concentrate demand for specific part numbers; this raises short‑term availability risk and could increase part prices or logistics complexity for operators.\n\n- Behavioural effects/substitution: operators may change how they use struts (for example avoid mooring or attaching external loads as per SB 2/43), reduce agricultural use, or accelerate replacement/upgrade programmes. Some may seek alternative approved parts or modifications if available.\n\n- Compliance complexity and record‑keeping: operators must track hours time‑in‑service for each component, retain records of agricultural use history (to apply column A or B), and ensure new parts are installed and logged at the AD‑required times.\n\n- Concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: safety gains (reduced risk of fatigue failure) accrues to all occupants and the public; direct financial costs fall to individual operators/owners and are concentrated on fleets that do more agricultural work or older fleets with high hours.\n\nKey implementation notes\n\n- Many inspections/replacements are required \"by this AD\" or at specified hours; some items require immediate action if new parts are fitted and periodic repeat checks (see Compliance table Items 1–5).\n- The AD explicitly warns operators against using the lift strut for mooring or attaching external loads (SB 2/43). That warning is part of the failure‑mechanism mitigation: such uses shorten fatigue life.\n\n(References: Requirement items 1–5; Compliance tables differentiating columns A and B; Note and Background.)"},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Originally issued in 1988 (3/88) as Amendment 8, this directive has evolved significantly from its original scope. What began as a basic inspection requirement has expanded to include: multiple generations of modified strut designs (RU, RL, RLU variants), differentiated treatment for agricultural vs. non-agricultural operations, explicit prohibitions on certain part numbers, and operational restrictions (no mooring, no external loads) drawn from manufacturer service bulletins. The retirement life limits have been progressively tightened for high-stress operations while extended for improved designs, reflecting a shift from uniform rules to risk-based, operational-profile-specific regulation."},"complexity_factors":["Dual-track compliance system with Column A (agricultural operations) and Column B (non-agricultural) creating parallel but different requirements","Multiple part number variants (C2W1103A, C2W1104A, C2W1115-1/-2, RU/RL/RLU prefixes) with different inspection intervals and retirement lives","Cross-references to manufacturer Service Bulletin 2/43 for additional operational restrictions not fully reproduced in the directive","Complex table structure with merged cells, row spans, and conditional applicability ('Not required by this AD', 'Not permitted in operation')","Mixed measurement units (flight hours vs. number of flights) for different components","Modified components tracked by 'hours time in service of the oldest component of the strut' rather than individual part hours","Nested conditions: initial vs. repeat inspections, modified vs. unmodified struts, different bolt specifications with different retirement criteria"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA safety directive for all de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft mandates measures to prevent lift‑strut metal fatigue and in‑flight failures. It requires regular nondestructive inspections, scheduled part and bolt replacements, and stricter limits for agricultural (low‑level) operators, and warns against using struts for mooring or external loads. It affects every Beaver operator in Australia and matters because strut failure can lead to wing separation and catastrophic crashes."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings","history":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-2-10-amdt-8-lift-strut-and-lift-strut-attachment-fittings/documents"}}