{"id":"F2006B06971","name":"AD/SF340/42 - Nose and Main Landing Gear","slug":"ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":114884,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B06971-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/SF340/42 - Nose and Main Landing Gear","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)  SAAB SF340 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/SF340/42 Nose and Main Landing Gear 2/94\n\nApplicability: Model SF340A with serial numbers 004 through 159.\n\n \n\nModel 340B with serial numbers 160 through 346.\n\n \n\nRequirement: Action in accordance with SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094.\n\n \n\nNote: LFV AD 1-061 refers.\n\n \n\nCompliance: As specified in the Requirement Document with short term action to be performed within 600 landings after 3 February 1994.\n\n \n\nBackground:  Extension and retraction problems have been experienced in service as a result of loose retract actuator brackets. An investigation revealed that bolt shear had occurred at the head of one of the two bracket retaining bolts, which resulted in bracket movement.\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":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive sets a corrective maintenance requirement limited to the listed SF340A and SF340B serial-number ranges and requires action per SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094 (Applicability; Requirement). Nothing in the text indicates an expansion or narrowing of scope beyond that stated applicability; it imposes a specific short-term compliance window but does not alter the class of aircraft covered (Compliance)."},"complexity_factors":["Applicability limited to two model/serial-number ranges (Applicability)","Mandate is by reference to an external technical document: SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094 (Requirement)","Short, specific compliance window measured in landings (600 landings after 3 February 1994) (Compliance)","Technical root cause described (bolt head shear causing bracket movement) requiring hands‑on maintenance (Background)","Cross-reference to another authority’s AD (LFV AD 1-061) without further detail (Note)"],"plain_english_summary":"### What this directive does\n\nThis Airworthiness Directive requires specific Saab SF340 aeroplanes to have their nose and main landing gear checked and corrected by following a particular Saab service bulletin. The directive applies only to the SF340A aeroplanes with serial numbers 004–159 and the SF340B aeroplanes with serial numbers 160–346 (Applicability). The mechanical actions to be taken are those set out in SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094 (Requirement). A short‑term action must be completed within 600 landings after 3 February 1994 (Compliance).\n\n### Why it was issued (official rationale)\n\nThe directive says it was issued because operators experienced problems with gear extension and retraction caused by loose retract actuator brackets; investigation found bolt head shear on a bracket retaining bolt which allowed bracket movement (Background). The directive also cross‑refers to LFV AD 1-061 (Note).\n\n### Who decides and who pays\n\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued the directive as part of the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (header).\n- Aircraft operators who own or operate the specified SF340 serial numbers are required to have the corrective work done and therefore will carry the direct cost of inspection and repair. The directive specifies the work by reference to Saab Service Bulletin 340-32-094 but does not name who must perform the work (Requirement; Compliance).\n\n### What behaviour changes\n\n- Operators must arrange and complete the actions described in the referenced Saab service bulletin within the stated compliance window (Requirement; Compliance). That will typically mean grounding affected aircraft for inspection/repair until the work is done.\n\n### Practical effects, compliance burden and trade-offs\n\n- The directive imposes a maintenance obligation limited to the listed serial-number ranges (Applicability). This confines the cost and effort to a defined subset of aircraft.\n- Compliance requires following an external technical document (SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094). That creates reliance on the service bulletin for the technical solution and on whoever performs the maintenance for correct execution (Requirement).\n- The short-term compliance deadline (600 landings after 3 February 1994) creates an operational timing constraint that may force scheduling of maintenance sooner than planned, producing aircraft downtime and scheduling or revenue impacts for operators (Compliance).\n- The directive’s stated problem (bolt head shear permitting bracket movement) identifies the failure mechanism to be corrected; the expected benefit is reducing gear extension/retraction malfunctions. The directive itself does not quantify benefit, cost, or prescribe which maintenance organisation must carry out the work (Background; Requirement).\n\n### Implementation risks and market effects\n\n- The directive shifts the immediate responsibility for remedial action and its costs to operators of the affected serial numbers (Applicability; Requirement). If the service bulletin’s instructions are not correctly followed, the underlying gear problem may persist (Requirement; Background).\n- Because the directive mandates following a manufacturer service bulletin, demand for the technical services and parts specified by that bulletin may increase among maintenance providers, but the directive does not restrict who may perform the work or mandate particular suppliers (Requirement).\n\nSources: Applicability; Requirement; Note; Compliance; Background."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-bound safety directive with a narrow, specific scope (particular aircraft serial numbers, specific mechanical component). It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of addressing the landing gear bracket defect."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 200 words)","Only 2 defined applicability criteria (aircraft model and serial number ranges)","Single requirement referencing an external technical document (SAAB Service Bulletin)","Simple compliance deadline (600 landings)","No nested exceptions, conditional logic, or cross-references to other legislation","Straightforward factual background with clear causal chain"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — essentially a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for specific aircraft.\n\n**What it does:**\nOrders owners and operators of certain **SAAB SF340 series aeroplanes** to inspect and fix a dangerous problem with the nose and main landing gear. The issue involves loose brackets that hold the landing gear retract actuators (the mechanical parts that pull the wheels up into the aircraft after take-off). If left unfixed, bolts can shear off (snap), causing the brackets to move and potentially preventing the landing gear from extending or retracting properly.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Owners and operators of **SAAB SF340A aircraft** with serial numbers 004–159\n- Owners and operators of **SAAB 340B aircraft** with serial numbers 160–346\n\n**What must be done:**\nOperators must follow the instructions in **SAAB Service Bulletin 340-32-094** (a technical repair notice from the manufacturer). The urgent short-term work must be completed within **600 landings** after 3 February 1994.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nLanding gear failures can be catastrophic. This directive prevents accidents by forcing operators to address a known mechanical defect before it causes an in-flight emergency or landing incident.\n\n**Note:** This references a Swedish aviation directive (LFV AD 1-061), indicating this was a known international safety issue coordinated across aviation regulators."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear","history":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-sf340-42-nose-and-main-landing-gear/documents"}}