{"id":"F2005L00851","name":"AD/F50/90 - Escape Ropes","slug":"ad-f50-90-escape-ropes","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":34219,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005L00851-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) Series Aeroplanes","sectionType":"division","heading":"Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) Series Aeroplanes","content":"### Fokker F50 (F27 Mk 50) Series Aeroplanes\n\n| AD/F50/90 | Escape Ropes | 5/2005 |\n| --------- | ------------ | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | All Model F27 Mk 050, Mk 0502, and Mk 0604 aircraft.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |\n| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | 1. Replace affected escape ropes with serviceable parts in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Services Service Bulletin F50-25-059, dated 28 June 2004, or later CAA-NL approved revision (for flight deck escape ropes); or Service Bulletin TASBF50-25-903, dated 4 October 2004, or later CAA-NL approved revision (for cabin escape ropes, only present in some special mission aircraft configurations).2. Amend the aircraft’s Maintenance Schedule to include a new discard task for the escape ropes after each 6 years time in service.Note: CAA-NL AD 2004-159 refers. |\n| Compliance:    | For Requirements 1 and 2: Within one calendar year after 12 May 2005.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 12 May 2005.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |\n| Background:    | Reports have been received from operators of small cracks evident in the polyester block into which the cotton flight deck escape rope is cast. A repair was subsequently carried out and a tensile test was performed. The results established that these ropes had deteriorated over time and their load-bearing capability had been considerably reduced. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to escape ropes failing or becoming unusable during an emergency evacuation.                                                                                                                  |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n31 March 2005","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/F50/90","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/F50/90","content":"## AD/F50/90","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Escape Ropes","sectionType":"part","heading":"Escape Ropes","content":"## Escape Ropes","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"5/2005","sectionType":"part","heading":"5/2005","content":"## 5/2005","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The AD confines itself to the original safety issue identified in the background: deterioration and cracking of escape ropes leading to reduced load-bearing capability. It does not expand regulatory coverage beyond those affected Fokker F50 models or add unrelated requirements. The instrument’s actions (replace affected ropes and implement a six-year discard rule) stay within the original safety remediation purpose and therefore have not materially changed the scope beyond that intent."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-topic directive focused on escape ropes (limited scope).","Clear applicability list (three specific aircraft models).","Only two mandatory actions: replacement per service bulletins and an added discard-after-6-years maintenance task.","References to two specific service bulletins (F50-25-059 and TASBF50-25-903) and to later CAA-NL approved revisions (minor cross-authority reference).","One compliance deadline (within one calendar year after 12 May 2005) and one effective date (12 May 2005).","A conditional element: cabin escape ropes are only present in some special-mission configurations (adds minor branching).","Small number of external cross-references (CAA-NL AD 2004-159)."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)**\n\n- Applies to: all Fokker F27 Mk 050, Mk 0502 and Mk 0604 (Fokker F50) aircraft. (See \"Applicability\".)\n- Requires two actions (Requirements 1 and 2):\n  - Replace affected flight-deck and, where fitted, cabin escape ropes with serviceable parts in accordance with the relevant manufacturer service bulletins (flight-deck ropes per Fokker Services Service Bulletin F50-25-059 dated 28 June 2004; cabin ropes where fitted per Service Bulletin TASBF50-25-903 dated 4 October 2004), or later revisions approved by the Netherlands Civil Aviation Authority (CAA-NL). (Requirement 1.)\n  - Amend the aircraft maintenance schedule to include a discard task for the escape ropes after each 6 years time in service (i.e. ropes must be removed from service and discarded at 6 years). (Requirement 2.)\n- Compliance timing: both actions must be completed within one calendar year after 12 May 2005. The AD’s stated effective date is 12 May 2005. (See \"Compliance\".)\n- Background / reason given: operators reported small cracks in the polyester block holding the cotton flight-deck escape rope; tensile testing showed reduced load-bearing capability over time, which could cause the ropes to fail or be unusable in an emergency evacuation. (See \"Background\".)\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- Aircraft operators and owners of the listed Fokker F50 models. They are responsible for ensuring replacement of affected ropes and updating the aircraft maintenance schedule.\n- Approved maintenance organisations (AMOs) and engineers who will perform the inspections, replacements and schedule changes.\n- The regulator (represented here by a CASA delegate) enforces compliance; the AD relies on service bulletin procedures and later revisions approved by CAA-NL.\n\n**Who pays and who decides**\n\n- Operators pay for parts, labour and associated aircraft downtime to perform replacements and to implement the new discard task. AMOs perform the work under the operator’s direction.\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate issued the AD; the technical procedures to follow are set out in the manufacturer service bulletins subject to CAA-NL approval for later revisions. Operators must follow the approved service-bulletin procedures or equivalent approved means.\n\n**Behavioural changes required**\n\n- Inspect and/or identify affected escape ropes, replace them with serviceable parts per the cited service bulletins, and discard ropes that reach 6 years of service.\n- Amend the maintenance schedule and record-keeping to track rope service life and ensure discard at 6 years.\n- Apply the same checks and replacements to cabin escape ropes only where those ropes are fitted (not all aircraft have cabin ropes — some are special-mission configurations).\n\n**Costs, incentives, trade-offs, and implementation issues**\n\n- Direct costs: purchase of replacement escape ropes, labour for removal and installation, and aircraft out-of-service time during the work.\n- Recurring cost: the discard-after-6-years rule creates a recurring replacement cost and record-keeping obligation for the life of the aircraft.\n- Safety benefit (as stated by the AD): reduces the risk of escape ropes failing during an evacuation by addressing age-related deterioration.\n- Supply/operational risk: operators must source \"serviceable parts\" meeting the service-bulletin requirements; if parts are scarce, scheduling and downtime could increase.\n- Administrative burden: maintenance schedules must be amended and rope service times tracked; older aircraft with incomplete records may require additional inspections or verification.\n- Regulatory/technical discretion: the AD mandates compliance with the specified service bulletins or later CAA‑NL‑approved revisions, which provides a limited degree of technical flexibility but relies on foreign authority approvals.\n\n**Notes and cross-references**\n\n- The AD notes a related CAA-NL AD (2004-159) and allows later CAA-NL approved revisions of the cited service bulletins to be used.\n\n"},"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"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a targeted safety directive addressing a specific mechanical defect in escape ropes. The scope remains precisely limited to the identified safety issue and affected aircraft models, with no expansion beyond the original airworthiness concern."},"complexity_factors":["Single, specific aircraft type and limited model variants (3 models only)","Two straightforward mechanical requirements (replacement + schedule amendment)","Clear, single compliance deadline with no conditional exceptions","Only 2 technical documents referenced (Fokker Service Bulletins)","No nested definitions, interpretation sections, or cross-references to other legislation","Background provided in plain narrative form explaining the safety risk"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). It applies to specific Fokker F50 aircraft models.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Requires replacement** of faulty escape ropes in the cockpit (flight deck) and cabin with new, approved parts\n- **Adds a maintenance rule** forcing airlines to throw out and replace these ropes every 6 years\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Owners and operators of Fokker F50 aircraft (models Mk 050, Mk 0502, and Mk 0604)\n- Maintenance crews who service these planes\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe polyester blocks holding the cotton escape ropes were cracking. Testing showed the ropes had weakened over time and might fail during an emergency evacuation. This directive prevents that failure by mandating replacements and regular retirement of old ropes.\n\n**Key deadline:** All work must be completed within one year of 12 May 2005."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes","history":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-f50-90-escape-ropes/documents"}}