{"id":"F2006B05718","name":"AD/PA-31/13 - Rudder and Elevator Spar Assemblies - Inspection","slug":"ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":135517,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B05718-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/PA-31/13 - Rudder and Elevator Spar Assemblies - Inspection","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)  Piper PA-31 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\n![](image.002.png)AD/PA-31/13 Rudder and Elevator Spar Assemblies - Inspection 8/2001\n\nRequirement: CANCELLED.\n\n \n\nBackground: The requirement of this Directive is addressed by AD/PA-31/129.\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\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":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a cancellation instrument that performs exactly its intended function: formally withdrawing a superseded safety requirement. The scope has not expanded beyond this administrative purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document — only 4 substantive lines","No defined terms section","No cross-references to legislation beyond naming the replacement AD","No conditional logic or exceptions","Single, unambiguous action: cancellation of previous requirement","No operative provisions — purely administrative/archival in nature"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — a mandatory safety notice issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that tells aircraft owners and operators they must inspect or fix specific parts of their plane.\n\n**What it does:** This particular directive **cancels** a previous safety requirement. It originally required owners of **Piper PA-31 series aeroplanes** (a type of twin-engine aircraft commonly used for charter and freight) to inspect the rudder and elevator spar assemblies — these are the internal structural beams that help control the plane's direction and altitude.\n\n**Why it's cancelled:** The safety issue that needed checking has now been covered by a newer, different directive: **AD/PA-31/129**. Rather than having two overlapping rules, this older one is formally withdrawn.\n\n**Who it affects:** Anyone who owns, operates, or maintains a Piper PA-31 aircraft in Australia. They no longer need to follow this specific directive, but they must check AD/PA-31/129 instead to ensure compliance.\n\n**Why it matters:** Airworthiness Directives are legally binding. Even cancellation notices are important because they clarify which safety rules are currently active and prevent confusion about whether old inspections are still required."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The directive no longer imposes its original inspection requirement because it has been cancelled (\"Requirement: CANCELLED\"). The background statement directs readers to AD/PA-31/129 for the applicable requirements, so the substantive scope of obligations has been moved to that other AD. This instrument thus changes the locus of the requirement from AD/PA-31/13 to AD/PA-31/129; any practical effect on inspection obligations depends on the content of AD/PA-31/129."},"complexity_factors":["Document is a short cancellation notice with no technical detail.","Primary action is a cross-reference to another AD (AD/PA-31/129), creating regulatory chaining.","Lack of substantive inspection requirements in this text reduces legal complexity but increases navigation cost to find current obligations.","Limited affected population (Piper PA-31 series) narrows operational scope.","Potential for administrative confusion if records are not updated adds minor procedural complexity."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument cancels Airworthiness Directive AD/PA-31/13, removing that AD’s requirements and directing stakeholders to AD/PA-31/129 for the applicable rudder/elevator spar inspection regime. It affects owners, operators and maintenance organisations of Piper PA-31 series aircraft (and the regulator documenting the change). Practically, the change is administrative: compliance and any inspection/repair costs now follow AD/PA-31/129, so operators must update maintenance programs and records accordingly."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-13-rudder-and-elevator-spar-assemblies-inspection/documents"}}