{"id":"F2006B06835","name":"AD/SD3-30/33 - Elevator and Rudder Skin Flukes","slug":"ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":114699,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B06835-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/SD3-30/33 - Elevator and Rudder Skin Flukes","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 SD3-30 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/SD3-30/33 Elevator and Rudder Skin Flukes 7/97\n\nApplicability: All SD3-30 aircraft.\n\n \n\nRequirement: Inspect in accordance with Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-55-19.\n\n \n\nNote: UK CAA AD 006-02-97 refers.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Unless already accomplished, before 19 September 1997.\n\n \n\nThis airworthiness directive becomes effective on 19 June 1997.\n\n \n\nBackground: The manufacturer has determined that a low standard of skin may be installed on some empennage control surfaces.\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":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, targeted safety directive addressing a specific manufacturing defect in a specific aircraft type. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of mandating inspections for substandard elevator and rudder skin on SD3-30 aircraft."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words of substantive content)","Only 1 defined applicability criterion ('All SD3-30 aircraft')","Single, unambiguous compliance requirement (inspect per specified bulletin)","No cross-references to other legislation or regulations beyond a single note referencing a UK CAA AD","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Clear, fixed compliance date with simple alternative ('unless already accomplished')","Straightforward background explanation with no technical sub-paragraphs"],"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) that requires aircraft owners and operators to fix a specific safety problem.\n\n**What it does:** It orders inspections of the **elevator** (the movable part on the tail that makes the plane go up and down) and **rudder** (the vertical tail surface that steers the plane left and right) on certain aircraft. Specifically, it targets the **skin** (the outer metal covering) of these control surfaces on **Short SD3-30 series aeroplanes** — a type of regional turboprop aircraft.\n\n**The problem:** The manufacturer (Shorts) discovered that some of these aircraft may have been built with **substandard skin material** on the tail control surfaces. This could potentially affect the structural integrity or safety of the aircraft.\n\n**Who must act:** Anyone who owns or operates a **Short SD3-30 aircraft** in Australia.\n\n**What they must do:** Carry out an inspection following the manufacturer's specific instructions in **Service Bulletin SD330-55-19**.\n\n**When:** The inspection had to be completed before **19 September 1997** (unless already done).\n\n**Why it matters:** This prevents potential structural failures in critical flight control surfaces. The elevator and rudder are essential for controlling the aircraft — if their skin fails in flight, the results could be catastrophic."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive, as presented, applies to all SD3-30 aircraft and requires inspection per Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-55-19 with a set compliance deadline. The text does not indicate any amendment to or narrowing/expansion of scope from an earlier instrument; therefore there is no change of scope evident within the provided source."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope (applies only to SD3-30 series aircraft).","Single, clear compliance action: inspect per a specified mandatory service bulletin.","Fixed compliance deadline (before 19 September 1997) and effective date provided.","Technical detail is contained in an external document (Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-55-19), requiring operators to obtain and follow that bulletin.","Reference to an external regulator's AD (UK CAA AD 006-02-97) adds cross-jurisdictional reference complexity.","Corrective measures are not described in the AD text itself, leaving outcomes contingent on the service bulletin."],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive (CASA, effective 19 June 1997) requires all Shorts SD3-30 aircraft to be inspected for potentially substandard empennage control-surface skins in accordance with Shorts Mandatory Service Bulletin SD330-55-19. Inspections must be completed by 19 September 1997 if not already done. Owners/operators must arrange and bear inspection (and any follow-on) costs; the AD delegates technical detail to the manufacturer’s service bulletin."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes","history":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-30-33-elevator-and-rudder-skin-flukes/documents"}}