{"id":"F2013L00698","name":"AD/R44/23 - R44 Bladder Fuel tank Retrofit","slug":"ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":172868,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2013L00698-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-04","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Robinson R44 Series Helicopters","sectionType":"division","heading":"Robinson R44 Series Helicopters","content":"### Robinson R44 Series Helicopters\n\n| AD/R44/23 | R44 Bladder Fuel Tank Retrofit | 9/2013 |\n| --------- | ------------------------------ | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | All R44 helicopters referred to in the Robinson Helicopter Company Service Bulletin listed in the Requirement section below.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |\n| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | Comply with Service Bulletin (SB) SB-78B entitled Bladder Fuel Tank Retrofit (which incorporates SB-68) dated 28 September 2012 (the SB).Note: Later revisions of the above reference documents are considered as an acceptable means of compliance with this AD.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |\n| Compliance:    | Unless already complied with, the SB must be complied with before further flight after 30 April 2013.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 30 April 2013.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |\n| Background:    | This Airworthiness Directive requires R44 helicopters fitted with all-aluminium fuel tanks to be retrofitted with bladder-type tanks, to improve the R44 fuel system’s resistance to a post-accident fuel leak. Recent post-crash fires in Australia have prompted CASA to mandate compliance with manufacturer’s service bulletin to reduce the risk of further post-crash fires and increase survivability of such an event.Aircraft which are maintained in accordance with the Manufacturer’s Maintenance Schedule are already required to comply with all Robinson Service Bulletins by regulation 42A of the CAR. |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nNicholas Ward  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n29 April 2013","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/R44/23","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/R44/23","content":"## AD/R44/23","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"R44 Bladder Fuel Tank Retrofit","sectionType":"part","heading":"R44 Bladder Fuel Tank Retrofit","content":"## R44 Bladder Fuel Tank Retrofit","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"9/2013","sectionType":"part","heading":"9/2013","content":"## 9/2013","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This AD maintains its original narrow scope: mandating a specific safety retrofit for a specific helicopter model. It has not expanded beyond this original purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 250 words)","Only 1 defined term implicitly referenced (the Service Bulletin)","Single, unambiguous compliance requirement","No cross-references to other legislation beyond a passing mention of CAR regulation 42A","Clear applicability statement and single deadline","No conditional logic or exceptions"],"plain_english_summary":"This CASA Airworthiness Directive mandates that operators and owners of Robinson R44 helicopters replace old all‑aluminium fuel tanks with bladder‑type fuel tanks to reduce rupture and post‑crash fire risk. It affects R44 owners, operators and maintenance organisations and makes the previously recommended retrofit explicitly compulsory. The retrofit was required to be completed before any further flight after 30 April 2013 to improve crash survivability and prevent fuel‑related fires."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The AD makes the bladder‑tank retrofit mandatory for all R44 helicopters specified in the Service Bulletin, enforceable before further flight after 30 April 2013. Before the AD, compliance with Robinson Service Bulletins could already be required for aircraft maintained under the Manufacturer’s Maintenance Schedule (per Background/reg 42A); the AD extends mandatory force to the broader set of applicable aircraft irrespective of their maintenance regime."},"complexity_factors":["Clear single technical requirement: retrofit to bladder fuel tanks via SB‑78B (Requirement).","Fixed compliance deadline: before further flight after 30 April 2013 (Compliance).","Applicability limited to R44 helicopters referenced in the manufacturer’s Service Bulletin (Applicability).","Accepts later SB revisions as acceptable means of compliance (flexibility reduces complexity).","Overlap with existing obligation for aircraft maintained per Manufacturer’s Maintenance Schedule (Background / reg 42A) — may simplify enforcement for some operators."],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive requires owners/operators of the specified Robinson R44 helicopters fitted with all‑aluminium fuel tanks to retrofit bladder‑type fuel tanks by following Robinson Service Bulletin SB‑78B (which incorporates SB‑68). The retrofit must be completed before further flight after 30 April 2013. CASA says the measure responds to recent post‑crash fires to reduce post‑accident fuel leaks; the retrofit work and direct costs fall on aircraft owners/operators, though some aircraft may already be subject to the manufacturer’s service‑bulletin requirements."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit","history":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-r44-23-r44-bladder-fuel-tank-retrofit/documents"}}