{"id":"F2006B06787","name":"AD/SC7/11 - Air/Ground Lever Spring Heel Block - Inspection","slug":"ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":114637,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B06787-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/SC7/11 - Air/Ground Lever Spring Heel Block - 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)  Short SC7 (Skyvan) Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/SC7/11 Air/Ground Lever Spring Heel Block - Inspection 8/79\n\nApplicability: All models SC7 Series 3, 3A and 3M. Document:  Shorts Alert SB No. 76-A56.\n\nCompliance: Within 25 hours time in service after 27 August 1979.\n\n \n\nBackground: The air/ground lever spring heel block is to be checked for security. Loss of this block will permit inadvertent selection of the power lever into ground range.\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":"There is no text in the provided document indicating an expansion or contraction of scope from an original intent. The instrument is narrowly targeted to all SC7 Series 3, 3A and 3M aeroplanes and prescribes a single inspection within a specified 25-hour window, consistent with the stated purpose (preventing inadvertent power lever selection)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope: single component (air/ground lever spring heel block) and single action (inspection). (Background)","Clear, short compliance timeframe (25 hours after specified date) reduces long-run procedural complexity. (Compliance)","Limited applicability: specific aircraft models only (SC7 Series 3, 3A, 3M). (Applicability)","Prescriptive but concise: directive mandates inspection; detailed method deferred to referenced manufacturer bulletin (Shorts Alert SB No. 76-A56). (Document)","Minimal procedural discretion in the text: does not set recurrent intervals or varied compliance options, but leaves enforcement and technical detail to regulator and bulletin. (Header; Document)"],"plain_english_summary":"What this directive does (mechanics)\n\n- Requires an inspection of the air/ground lever spring \"heel block\" to confirm it is secure on all Shorts SC7 Series 3, 3A and 3M aeroplanes. (Applicability; Background)\n- Sets a compliance deadline: the inspection must be carried out within 25 hours time in service after 27 August 1979. (Compliance)\n- The directive refers operators to Shorts Alert Service Bulletin No. 76-A56 for the document that describes the inspection. (Document)\n\nWhy the check is specified (stated purpose)\n\n- The stated reason is that loss of the heel block would allow inadvertent selection of the power lever into the ground range. The inspection is intended to detect and correct any insecure heel block before that happens. (Background)\n\nWho decides and who pays\n\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority issues and records this airworthiness directive under the Commonwealth Civil Aviation Regulations framework; enforcement and airworthiness oversight rest with that authority. (Header: Civil Aviation Safety Authority)\n- Aircraft owners/operators must arrange and pay for the inspection and any remedial work required to secure or replace the heel block. The directive applies to all owners/operators of the listed SC7 models. (Applicability; Compliance)\n\nHow it changes behaviour and operations\n\n- Operators must schedule a short, mandatory inspection for each affected aeroplane within the specified 25-hour window; this imposes a near-term operational requirement and may cause brief out-of-service time. (Compliance)\n- Maintenance providers or in-house engineers will perform the inspection and any follow-up work according to the manufacturer alert referenced. (Document)\n\nCosts, incentives, trade-offs and implementation risks\n\n- Direct costs: time, labour and any parts and rectification work are borne by aircraft owners/operators. The directive does not specify compensation or funding. (Compliance; Applicability)\n- Timing/incentive effect: the short compliance window (25 hours) creates an immediate scheduling requirement; operators have an incentive to prioritise this inspection to restore/retain airworthiness quickly. (Compliance)\n- Opportunity cost: aircraft may be grounded briefly for the inspection and any repairs, displacing other revenue-generating flights until the work is done. (Compliance)\n- Implementation risk: the directive prescribes an inspection but does not describe enforcement actions or follow-up intervals; ongoing assurance depends on operators and the regulator executing their oversight roles. (Header; Compliance)\n\nEffects on markets, competition and private choice (brief)\n\n- The directive imposes the same inspection requirement on all operators of the listed SC7 variants, so it applies uniformly within that market segment. (Applicability)\n- The requirement does not directly modify ownership, pricing rules, or competition law; it may cause modest short-term operating cost increases for affected operators, which could be absorbed or passed on through pricing at their discretion. (Applicability; Compliance)\n\nConcrete sources within the instrument\n\n- Applicability: lists covered models (SC7 Series 3, 3A and 3M). (Applicability)\n- Compliance: inspection deadline within 25 hours time in service after 27 August 1979. (Compliance)\n- Background: the heel block must be checked because its loss permits inadvertent selection of power lever into ground range. (Background)\n- Document: Shorts Alert SB No. 76-A56 is the referenced technical source for the inspection. (Document)\n\nSummary statement\n\nThis airworthiness directive imposes a short-term, mandatory inspection on operators of specified Shorts SC7 models to verify the security of the air/ground lever spring heel block, with the stated aim of preventing inadvertent selection of the power lever into ground range. The operator bears the inspection and repair costs, must schedule the work promptly within the 25-hour window, and relies on the manufacturer bulletin and regulator oversight to complete the action.\n"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-bound safety directive from 1979 with a single, specific purpose. It has not expanded beyond its original scope — it addresses one identified defect in one aircraft type with one mandated action."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document — approximately 150 words total","Only one substantive requirement (inspect one specific component)","Single, clear compliance deadline (25 hours time in service after fixed date)","No defined terms section, no cross-references to other legislation beyond one manufacturer service bulletin","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Straightforward applicability (three specific aircraft models)"],"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). Think of it like a compulsory recall notice, but for aircraft instead of cars.\n\n**What it requires:** Owners and operators of specific **Short SC7 Skyvan aircraft** (Series 3, 3A, and 3M models) must inspect a small but critical part called the **\"air/ground lever spring heel block\"** within 25 hours of flying time after 27 August 1979.\n\n**Why this matters:** This little block acts as a safety stop. If it falls off or comes loose, pilots could accidentally move the power lever into \"ground range\" (the setting used when the plane is on the ground) while actually flying. That would be extremely dangerous — potentially causing loss of power or control at the wrong moment.\n\n**Who must comply:** Anyone operating the affected Short SC7 aircraft in Australia. The directive references a manufacturer bulletin (Shorts Alert SB No. 76-A56) for the exact inspection procedure.\n\n**Bottom line:** A cheap, simple inspection to prevent a potentially catastrophic mistake in the cockpit."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-sc7-11-air-ground-lever-spring-heel-block-inspection/documents"}}