{"id":"F2006B07167","name":"AD/SWSA226/24 - Nose Wheel Steering - Deactivation","slug":"ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":49055,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B07167-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/SWSA226/24 - Nose Wheel Steering - Deactivation","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)  Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/SWSA226/24 Nose Wheel Steering - Deactivation 8/77\n\nApplicability: All models fitted with variable authority nose wheel steering. Document: Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012.\n\nCompliance: Within 25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977.\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\n \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The supplied AD text applies to all SA226/SA227 aeroplanes fitted with variable-authority nose wheel steering and mandates deactivation per the referenced service bulletin within a specified short timeframe. The extract contains no indication that the scope has been altered from its original formulation; it sets a single, specific technical requirement and a compliance deadline."},"complexity_factors":["Clear and narrow technical requirement (deactivation) reduces legal complexity","Reference to an external technical document (Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012) requires operators to obtain and follow additional material","Short compliance window (25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977) raises operational and scheduling complexity","Applicability is simple (all models fitted with variable-authority nose wheel steering) but requires an equipment check by each operator","No technical rationale or alternative-compliance pathways included in the supplied text, requiring reliance on the service bulletin for engineering detail"],"plain_english_summary":"What this directive changes mechanically\n\n- The Airworthiness Directive orders that the variable-authority nose wheel steering system on Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aeroplanes be deactivated. The deactivation is to be carried out in accordance with Swearingen Alert Service Bulletin No. 32-012 (Document: Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012). (See: \"Applicability\" and \"Document\" lines.)\n\nWho must act and who decides\n\n- The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued the directive; aircraft owners/operators and maintenance organisations who operate or maintain affected aeroplanes must carry out the deactivation. (See: heading and applicability.)\n\nWhen the work must be done\n\n- The deactivation must be completed within 25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977. That is the regulatory compliance deadline in the directive. (See: \"Compliance: Within 25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977.\")\n\nWhat the directive requires in practice\n\n- Operators must identify whether their aeroplane is fitted with variable-authority nose wheel steering (\"Applicability: All models fitted with variable authority nose wheel steering\"). If it is, they must have the system deactivated following the procedures in the referenced service bulletin.\n\nStated purpose and available source of technical detail\n\n- The AD text supplied does not include an explicit description of the technical safety problem or the engineering steps; it instead references Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012 for the deactivation procedure and (implicitly) the technical justification. The service bulletin is therefore the primary source for the technical rationale and the work instructions. (See: \"Document: Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012.\")\n\nWho pays, incentives and trade-offs\n\n- Owners/operators pay for the work: the deactivation requires maintenance action and may entail labour, parts, and out-of-service time. The compliance deadline (25 flight hours after 3 August 1977) creates an incentive to schedule the work promptly, which can concentrate maintenance demand in a short period and raise short-term costs or require short-term changes to flight schedules.\n\n- Maintenance organisations receive work from operators to perform the deactivation; how that work is priced is left to normal commercial arrangements between operators and maintenance providers.\n\nImplementation risk and compliance burden\n\n- The directive delegates the technical method to the referenced service bulletin; the operational burden on an operator is to (a) determine applicability, (b) obtain the service bulletin, and (c) arrange for deactivation within the specified time window. The short compliance window increases scheduling risk for operators with active aircraft. The AD text does not indicate any discretionary exemptions or alternative means of compliance in this extract.\n\nEffects on operations and private choice\n\n- Deactivating the nose wheel steering system changes the configuration of an aircraft’s steering system. Operators may need to adjust ground handling procedures and pilot briefings to reflect the change in available equipment. The directive does not specify further operational restrictions or performance changes in the supplied text; those details would be in the service bulletin or other operational guidance.\n\nConcrete citation points from the directive\n\n- Applicability: \"All models fitted with variable authority nose wheel steering.\" (Applicability)\n- Required method: \"Document: Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012.\" (Document)\n- Deadline: \"Within 25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977.\" (Compliance)\n\nSummary statement\n\n- In short: CASA requires that the variable-authority nose wheel steering on affected SA226/SA227 aeroplanes be deactivated per Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012, and operators must complete that deactivation within 25 hours time in service after 3 August 1977. The AD text supplied does not state the technical reason; the referenced service bulletin is the source for procedure and technical justification."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, time-bound safety directive from 1977. It has not grown beyond its original purpose; it remains a specific airworthiness requirement for a particular aircraft system defect."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short document — only 4 substantive lines of regulatory text","No defined terms section; all language is plain operational English","Single, unambiguous compliance requirement with clear deadline","No cross-references to other legislation or regulations beyond the parenthetical citation of Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Simple applicability test: 'All models fitted with variable authority nose wheel steering'"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** An Airworthiness Directive (AD) — essentially a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).\n\n**What it does:** Requires owners and operators of certain Fairchild (Swearingen) SA226 and SA227 series aircraft to **deactivate their variable authority nose wheel steering systems** within 25 flight hours after 3 August 1977.\n\n**Who it affects:** Anyone operating these specific aircraft models that have the variable authority nose wheel steering feature installed.\n\n**Why it matters:** Nose wheel steering controls how an aircraft manoeuvres on the ground. When CASA issues an AD like this, it typically means the steering system has a serious safety defect that could cause loss of control, runway excursions, or accidents during taxi, take-off, or landing. The reference to \"Swearingen Alert SB No. 32-012\" indicates the manufacturer issued an urgent service bulletin identifying the problem.\n\n**The bottom line:** If you fly one of these planes, you had to disable this steering feature by early September 1977 at the latest. Flying without complying would breach civil aviation regulations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation","history":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-swsa226-24-nose-wheel-steering-deactivation/documents"}}