{"id":"F2006B05774","name":"AD/PA-31/7 - Elevator Control System - Inspection","slug":"ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":135635,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B05774-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/PA-31/7 - Elevator Control System - 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\nAD/PA-31/7 Elevator Control System - Inspection 5/69\n\nApplicability: All models with S/Nos. 31-2 to 31-326; 31-328 to 31-332 and 31-334. Document:  Piper SB No. 289.\n\nCompliance: Within 100 hours time in service after 12 May 1969.\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":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive's scope is explicitly stated in the Applicability section (specific PA-31 serial-number ranges) and its action is limited to an inspection per Piper SB No. 289 to be completed within a fixed timeframe (Compliance and Document). The instrument as provided does not show any expansion or narrowing beyond those stated terms."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, explicit applicability by serial-number ranges reduces ambiguity (Applicability).","Reference to an external technical document (Piper SB No. 289) requires users to obtain and follow another source (Document).","Single fixed compliance deadline creates a clear but inflexible timing requirement (Compliance).","The AD text itself contains no procedural detail, increasing reliance on the service bulletin for actionable steps.","Historic date reference (12 May 1969) could raise administrative questions about retrospective compliance or record interpretation.","Potential for minor ambiguity in interpreting serial-number ranges if records are incomplete."],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive requires owners and operators of specified Piper PA‑31 serial-numbered aeroplanes to have the elevator control system inspected per Piper Service Bulletin No. 289. It must be completed within 100 hours time‑in‑service after 12 May 1969. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority enforces the requirement; affected operators and maintenance organisations bear the cost and scheduling burden."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, single-issue safety directive from 1969. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of requiring a specific inspection on specific aircraft models."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document — only 4 substantive lines of regulatory text","No defined terms section — all language is plain technical aviation terminology","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Civil Aviation Regulations 1998","Single, unambiguous compliance requirement (100 hours time in service)","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Clear applicability criteria using simple serial number ranges"],"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) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.\n\n**What it does:** It requires owners and operators of specific Piper PA-31 series aircraft to inspect the **elevator control system** (the mechanism that controls the up-and-down movement of the aircraft's nose). The inspection must follow the procedures in **Piper Service Bulletin No. 289**.\n\n**Who it affects:** Anyone who owns or operates Piper PA-31 aircraft with serial numbers:\n- 31-2 through 31-326\n- 31-328 through 31-332  \n- 31-334\n\n(Note: Serial number 31-327 and 31-333 are excluded — likely because they were built with a different design or already had the fix applied.)\n\n**When you must comply:** Within **100 hours of flight time** after **12 May 1969**.\n\n**Why it matters:** Airworthiness Directives are legally binding safety instructions. If you don't comply, your aircraft is not considered airworthy — meaning you cannot legally fly it. This particular AD addresses a potential defect in the elevator control system that could affect flight safety."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pa-31-7-elevator-control-system-inspection/documents"}}