{"id":"F2006B05847","name":"AD/PA-32/50 - Fuel Selector Control System - Modification","slug":"ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":135871,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B05847-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/PA-32/50 - Fuel Selector Control System - Modification","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-32 (Cherokee Six) Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/PA-32/50 Fuel Selector Control System - Modification 7/77\n\nApplicability: Models PA-32-260 with S/Nos. 32-03, 32-04, 32-1 to 32-7300036 and PA-32-300\n\nwith S/Nos. 32-15, 32-21, 32-4000 to 32-7340081.\n\n \n\nDocument: Piper SB No. 376.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Within 100 hours time in service after 31 July 1977.\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":true,"description":"The AD changes the post-production requirements for the listed aircraft by converting a modification of the fuel selector control system into a mandatory compliance obligation for the specified serial-numbered PA-32 aircraft. Compliance must be completed within 100 hours time in service after 31 July 1977, and the modification is to be carried out in accordance with Piper Service Bulletin No. 376. (Applicability; Document; Compliance.)"},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, clearly enumerated applicability by specific models and serial-number ranges (Applicability).","Single, simple compliance action (modification) referenced to an external manufacturer service bulletin rather than detailed steps in the AD (Document: Piper SB No. 376).","Single, fixed compliance deadline defined relative to a calendar date and flight hours (Compliance).","Need to obtain and follow an external technical document (service bulletin) introduces an implementation dependency and minor administrative complexity (Document).","Potential for minor administrative ambiguity in interpreting serial-number ranges for individual airframes (Applicability)."],"plain_english_summary":"What this instrument does:\n\n- This is an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Commonwealth Civil Aviation Regulations that mandates a modification to the fuel selector control system on certain Piper PA-32 (Cherokee Six) aeroplanes. (See heading and title.)\n\nWho it affects:\n\n- Owners and operators of the listed Piper PA-32 models and serial numbers must comply. The AD lists affected aircraft as: Models PA-32-260 with serial numbers 32-03, 32-04, 32-1 through 32-7300036, and PA-32-300 with serial numbers 32-15, 32-21, 32-4000 through 32-7340081. (Applicability.)\n\nHow it works mechanically:\n\n- The AD requires that the fuel selector control system on each affected aircraft be modified in accordance with Piper Service Bulletin No. 376. The AD itself does not set out detailed technical steps; it references that service bulletin as the required document. (Document: Piper SB No. 376.)\n\nTiming and enforcement:\n\n- The modification must be completed within 100 hours time in service after 31 July 1977. That deadline defines the compliance window for affected aircraft. (Compliance.)\n\nWho pays, who decides and what behaviour changes:\n\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the issuing authority for the AD (see header). Compliance responsibility falls to the owners/operators of the affected aircraft, who will need to arrange and pay for the modification, schedule aircraft downtime, and ensure work follows the referenced service bulletin. The AD changes operator behaviour by converting a previously optional or unrequired change into a mandatory action for the specified fleet.\n\nCompliance burdens and implementation notes:\n\n- The AD imposes a discrete compliance task: arranging the modification according to an external manufacturer service bulletin within a specified flight-hours window. That creates direct costs (parts, labour, aircraft downtime) for owners/operators and requires access to the service bulletin and a maintenance organisation capable of following it. The AD’s technical detail is contained in the referenced Piper SB rather than in the AD text itself, so implementing agents must obtain and follow that external document. (Document: Piper SB No. 376; Compliance.)\n\nTrade-offs, incentives and risks (mechanical, not evaluative):\n\n- The requirement concentrates costs on the owners/operators of the listed aircraft by making the modification mandatory. It creates an incentive for owners/operators to schedule the work within the 100-hour window to remain compliant. Because the AD specifies serial-number ranges, there is some administrative effort required to determine whether particular airframes fall within the listed applicability. The AD relies on an external technical document (Piper SB No. 376) for instructions, which transfers the detailed technical specification to the manufacturer’s bulletin and raises the need to obtain, interpret and apply that bulletin correctly. (Applicability; Document; Compliance.)"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-bound safety directive from 1977 addressing a specific mechanical defect in specific aircraft. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of mandating a fuel system modification."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words)","Only 4 operative provisions: applicability, reference document, compliance deadline, and subject matter","No defined terms section","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling regulations (Part 39)","Simple conditional logic: if you own these specific serial numbers, you must comply","Single compliance pathway with clear deadline"],"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-32 \"Cherokee Six\" aircraft to modify the **fuel selector control system**. This is the mechanism pilots use to choose which fuel tank feeds the engine.\n\n**Who it affects:** \n- **PA-32-260 model** aircraft with serial numbers: 32-03, 32-04, 32-1 through 32-7300036\n- **PA-32-300 model** aircraft with serial numbers: 32-15, 32-21, 32-4000 through 32-7340081\n\n**What must be done:** Aircraft owners must follow the instructions in **Piper Service Bulletin No. 376** to modify their fuel selector system.\n\n**When it must be done:** Within **100 hours of flight time** after 31 July 1977.\n\n**Why it matters:** Airworthiness Directives are legally binding safety fixes. They typically address design defects that could cause accidents. In this case, the fuel selector system apparently had a flaw that needed correction to prevent potential fuel starvation or engine failure. Ignoring an AD means the aircraft cannot legally fly."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification","history":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-pa-32-50-fuel-selector-control-system-modification/documents"}}