{"id":"F2006B06859","name":"AD/SD3-60/16 - Flight Data Recorder - Fitting of Cover","slug":"ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":114737,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B06859-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/SD3-60/16 - Flight Data Recorder - Fitting of Cover","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 SD3-60 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/SD3-60/16 Flight Data Recorder - Fitting of Cover 6/86\n\nApplicability: All model SD3-60 with S/No's SH3601 to SH3677. Requirement:  Action in accordance with Shorts. S.B. SD360-31-04. Compliance:               Prior to 31 December 1986.\n\nBackground:  Corrosion of the circuit cards by moisture in the electronic section of the Flight Data Recorder causes a loss of data.\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 matches its stated original purpose in the text: to require fitting a cover to the FDR on SD3-60 aircraft with serial numbers SH3601–SH3677 to prevent moisture corrosion of circuit cards. The instrument specifies the mechanism for compliance (Shorts S.B. SD360-31-04) and a compliance deadline; the text does not indicate any change from that original scope."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow applicability limited to SD3-60 serial numbers SH3601–SH3677 (Applicability)","Prescriptive requirement referencing a single manufacturer service bulletin (Requirement)","Fixed compliance deadline (31 December 1986) creates a time-bound obligation (Compliance)","Technical nature of work (fitting cover to FDR) requiring maintenance skills and parts (Requirement)","Clear stated cause–effect (moisture corrosion → data loss) with a single mitigant, reducing regulatory ambiguity (Background)","Low regulatory discretion: compliance is to be carried out \"in accordance with\" the manufacturer’s bulletin (Requirement)"],"plain_english_summary":"This AD from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority requires operators of Short SD3-60 aeroplanes (S/No. SH3601–SH3677) to fit the Flight Data Recorder protective cover described in Shorts Service Bulletin SD360-31-04 by the specified compliance date (31 December 1986). Owners/operators must carry out and pay for the mandated installation to prevent moisture corrosion of FDR circuit cards and loss of recorded flight data, with compliance fixed to the manufacturer’s method."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-limited safety directive from 1986 addressing a specific technical defect in a specific aircraft model. It has not expanded beyond its original narrow purpose of mandating a protective cover installation to prevent Flight Data Recorder corrosion."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document (approximately 150 words)","Only 1 defined applicability criterion (serial number range SH3601-SH3677)","Single, unambiguous compliance action (fit cover per manufacturer bulletin)","Single, fixed deadline (31 December 1986)","No cross-references to other legislation or regulations beyond the parent Civil Aviation Regulations 1988","No conditional logic, exceptions, or alternative compliance methods","Straightforward causal chain: moisture → corrosion → data loss → fit cover"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive** (a mandatory safety order) issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority for a specific type of aircraft: the **Short SD3-60 Series Aeroplanes** (also known as the Short 360, a small regional turboprop plane built in the 1980s).\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Requires owners/operators** of these aircraft (specifically serial numbers SH3601 through SH3677) to fit a protective cover to the Flight Data Recorder (the \"black box\" that records flight data).\n\n**Why it matters:**\n- **Moisture was getting into the electronic section** of the Flight Data Recorder, causing **corrosion of circuit cards** and resulting in **loss of recorded flight data**.\n- Without this fix, investigators couldn't access reliable data after incidents or accidents.\n\n**What must be done:**\n- Follow the manufacturer's service bulletin (Shorts S.B. SD360-31-04) to install the cover.\n- **Deadline:** Before 31 December 1986.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Airlines or operators flying these specific Short 360 aircraft in Australia (or Australian-registered aircraft of this type operating overseas)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover","history":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-sd3-60-16-flight-data-recorder-fitting-of-cover/documents"}}