{"id":"F2006B09217","name":"AD/DHC-8/60 Amdt 1 - Weight and Balance","slug":"ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":53069,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B09217-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/DHC-8/60 Amdt 1 - Weight and Balance","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)  \nBombardier (Boeing Canada/De Havilland) DHC-8 Series Aeroplanes\n\nAD/DHC-8/60\n\nAmdt 1\n\n  \nWeight and Balance 6/99\n\nApplicability: All DHC-8 series 100, 200 and 300 aircraft.\n\nRequirement: To preclude the operation of DHC-8 aircraft with CG locations that may be outside the approved CG range:\n\n    When conducting weight and balance checks, adhere to the restriction in the de Havilland Weight and Balance Manual that prohibits the use of wing jacks.\n\n    2. Review the Weight and Balance Manual for each aircraft and determine the method used during the most recent weight and balance check; and,\n\n    If platform scales or bottle jacks at the undercarriage jacking points were used, no further action is required; or,\n\n    b. If wing jacks were used, or it cannot be ascertained that bottle jacks or platform scales were used, perform a weight and balance procedure following the procedures detailed in the aircraft's Weight and Balance Manual.\n\nNote: Transport Canada AD CF-98-32R1 refers.\n\nCompliance: 1. At each weight and balance check conducted after 17 June 1999.\n\n2. For aircraft on the Australian register as of 17 June 1999, before 16 October 1999\\. Aircraft entering the Australian register on or after 17 June 1999 and before\n\n17 June 2000 must comply prior to issue of an Australian certificate of airworthiness.\n\nThis Amendment becomes effective on 17 June 1999.\n\nBackground: Two operators of DHC-8 aircraft have reported incidents of unusual handling characteristics during ground operation. The cause of these incidents was traced to discrepancies between the actual centre of gravity (CG) of the aircraft and the CG recorded in the aircraft log books. All aircraft involved in the incidents had a weight and balance performed, using wing jacks, at some time after delivery from the aircraft manufacturer. A recent Bombardier investigation of weight and balance procedures for high wing aircraft concluded that the use of wing jacks can result in CG errors as large as 2 to 3% of the mean aerodynamic chord for DHC-8 aircraft.\n\nAmendment 1 is raised to limit applicability to series 100, 200 and 300 aircraft in line with Transport Canada revisions.\n\nThe initial issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 3 December 1998.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendment 1 narrows the directive's applicability to Bombardier DHC‑8 Series 100, 200 and 300 aircraft. The amendment explicitly states this limitation to align with Transport Canada revisions; the original AD (initial issue effective 3 December 1998) covered a broader set of aircraft prior to this narrowing."},"complexity_factors":["Technical specificity: distinguishes acceptable methods (platform scales or bottle jacks at undercarriage jacking points) from prohibited wing‑jack use.","Record review requirement: operators must review each aircraft's Weight and Balance Manual and log to determine prior methodology.","Potential rework burden: if wing jacks were used or cannot be ruled out, a full re‑weigh is required, affecting scheduling and maintenance resources.","Safety measurement precision: small CG errors (2–3% MAC) have handling implications, so procedural accuracy is critical.","Cross‑jurisdictional reference: the AD aligns with and refers to Transport Canada material, creating dependency on foreign AD revisions.","Targeted applicability and compliance dates: applies only to DHC‑8 series 100/200/300 with specified transition timelines, requiring administrative tracking."],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive forbids using wing jacks when performing weight‑and‑balance checks on Bombardier (DHC‑8) Series 100, 200 and 300 aircraft. Operators must check the aircraft's weight‑and‑balance record and, if the last check used wing jacks or the method cannot be confirmed, re‑perform the weight‑and‑balance using platform scales or bottle jacks.\n\nIt applies to aircraft operators and maintenance organisations because wing‑jack measurements can create centre‑of‑gravity errors (reported up to 2–3% mean aerodynamic chord) that may affect handling; compliance is required at each subsequent weight‑and‑balance check."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This is Amendment 1 to an existing AD. The original AD (effective 3 December 1998) applied to all DHC-8 aircraft. Amendment 1 narrows the scope to exclude Series 400 aircraft (the Q400), limiting applicability to Series 100, 200 and 300 only. This aligns with Transport Canada's revised assessment that the wing jack issue does not affect the newer, larger Series 400 model. The scope has contracted, not expanded, from the original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Single, specific technical issue (wing jack use) with clear binary compliance path","Only 4 defined compliance categories (existing vs new aircraft, two deadline tracks)","Minimal cross-referencing (single reference to Transport Canada AD CF-98-32R1)","Straightforward conditional logic (if platform scales/bottle jacks used → no action; if wing jacks used or unknown → re-weigh)","Narrow applicability (specific aircraft series, specific maintenance procedure)","No nested exceptions or complex definitional sections","Total length: approximately 300 words"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive orders Australian-registered DHC‑8 Series 100/200/300 operators and maintenance organisations to stop using wing jacks for weight-and-balance checks and to verify past weighing records. If a prior weigh used wing jacks or can’t be proven otherwise, the aircraft must be re‑weighed properly. It’s mandatory because wing‑jack weighing can shift calculated centre of gravity by ~2–3%, causing ground steering and potential flight handling hazards."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance","history":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-dhc-8-60-amdt-1-weight-and-balance/documents"}}