{"id":"F2006B10276","name":"AD/GENERAL/45 Amdt 2 - Mitchell Automatic Pilot Servo Bridle Cable Clamp - Replacement","slug":"ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":55955,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B10276-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/GENERAL/45 Amdt 2 - Mitchell Automatic Pilot Servo Bridle Cable Clamp - Replacement","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)  \nAircraft \\- General\n\nAD/GENERAL/45\n\nAmdt 2\n\n  \n\nMitchell Automatic Pilot Servo Bridle Cable Clamp - Replacement\n\n  \n8/80\n\nApplicability: All aircraft fitted with automatic pilot servo bridle clamps Mitchell Part No. 42A173 or 42A184 except aircraft fitted with Piper III Series automated Flight Control System bridle clamps incorporating a safety sleeve.\n\nDocument: 1. Edo-Aire Mitchell Service Bulletin MBI dated 1 June 1970; or 2. FAA AD 70-15-18.\n\nCompliance: Within 300 hours time in service after 30 September 1970 for aircraft specified in FAA AD 70-15-18. Other aircraft within 300 hours time in service after 31 January 1974.\n\nBackground: The applicability has been revised to exempt bridle clamps installed by Piper which have a safety sleeve fitted. (Refer to Piper Service Manual instructions for Autocontrol III and Altimatic III for details of safety sleeves).","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The AD’s applicability was narrowed by an amendment that exempts Mitchell clamps installed by Piper that incorporate a safety sleeve. The Background states that the applicability was revised to exempt those Piper-installed clamps and directs readers to Piper Service Manual instructions for Autocontrol III and Altimatic III for details of the safety sleeve. This amendment reduces the population of aircraft required to undergo replacement compared with a version that included all installations of the listed Mitchell part numbers. (Background)"},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope limited to two specific part numbers (Mitchell Part No. 42A173 and 42A184)","Exemption clause for Piper-installed clamps with a safety sleeve requires inspection and possible cross-reference to Piper Service Manual (Background)","Two different compliance date windows depending on whether aircraft are specified in the FAA AD or not (Compliance)","External technical documents (Edo-Aire service bulletin or FAA AD) must be consulted and followed for the replacement procedure (Document)","Operational tasks required of operators: identify fitted parts, schedule maintenance within a 300-hour time window, procure parts and perform installation (Applicability; Compliance; Document)"],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive requires replacement of Mitchell autopilot servo bridle clamps (Part Nos. 42A173/42A184) on affected aircraft unless the clamps were fitted by Piper with a safety sleeve. Aircraft owners/operators and maintenance organisations must inspect and, if not exempt, replace the clamps within the AD’s time-in-service limits following the cited service bulletin or FAA AD; costs and downtime are borne by operators."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is Amendment 2 to an existing Airworthiness Directive. The amendment narrows the scope slightly by adding an exemption for Piper III Series aircraft with safety sleeves, but this is a minor refinement consistent with the original safety purpose. The core mandate — replacing unsafe cable clamps — remains unchanged from the original AD."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words)","Only 2 specific part numbers referenced (42A173, 42A184)","Single exemption clause (Piper III Series with safety sleeve)","No defined terms section — uses standard aviation terminology","Simple conditional structure: applies to all X except Y","Two compliance dates based on aircraft categorisation","No cross-references to other legislation beyond citing source documents (FAA AD and service bulletin)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). ADs are legally binding instructions that aircraft owners and operators must follow to fix unsafe conditions in aircraft.\n\n**What it requires:** Aircraft owners must **replace specific faulty cable clamps** used in automatic pilot (autopilot) systems. The clamps in question are made by Mitchell (Part Numbers 42A173 or 42A184) and are part of the \"servo bridle\" — a mechanism that connects the autopilot to the aircraft's flight controls.\n\n**Who it affects:** \n- **All aircraft** fitted with these specific Mitchell autopilot cable clamps\n- **Except:** Aircraft that have Piper III Series autopilot systems with \"safety sleeves\" already installed (these are exempt because the sleeve provides adequate protection)\n\n**Why it matters:** The original clamps were found to be unsafe — likely prone to failure that could cause the autopilot to disconnect or malfunction in flight. The directive gives owners a deadline (measured in \"flight hours\") to replace them with safer designs.\n\n**Key deadlines:**\n- Some aircraft had to comply by 300 flight hours after September 1970\n- Others had until 300 flight hours after January 1974\n\n**The bottom line:** If you own or operate an aircraft with one of these older Mitchell autopilot systems, you needed to check whether your cable clamps were the risky type and replace them by the specified flight hour deadline — unless Piper's safety sleeve modification was already installed."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement","history":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-general-45-amdt-2-mitchell-automatic-pilot-servo-bridle-cable-clamp-replacement/documents"}}