{"id":"F2006B07378","name":"AD/TBM 700/3 - Rudder Skin","slug":"ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":49535,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B07378-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/TBM 700/3 - Rudder Skin","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)  Aerospatiale (Socata) TBM 700 Series Aeroplanes\n\n \n\nAD/TBM 700/3 Rudder Skin 1/94\n\nApplicability: Model TBM 700 aircraft with serial numbers 1 through 19, 21, 22, 25 through 34, 38,\n\n39, 46, 49, 50, 52, 53, 57, 59, 61 through 63, 67, 68, and 71 through 75.\n\n \n\nRequirement: Action in accordance with Socata TBM 700 Service Bulletin 70-027-55.\n\n \n\nNote: DGAC AD 93-178(B) refers.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Within 100 hours time in service after 6 January 1994.\n\n \n\nBackground: The DGAC determined that unbonding between the rudder skin and the rear spar could occur unless certain actions are instigated.\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":{"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 specific aircraft. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of ensuring rudder skin integrity in early-production TBM 700 aircraft."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (under 200 words)","Only 4 substantive sections: Applicability, Requirement, Note, and Compliance","Single cross-reference to external technical document (Socata Service Bulletin)","Single cross-reference to foreign aviation directive (DGAC AD 93-178(B))","No defined terms section","No conditional logic or nested exceptions","Simple temporal trigger for compliance (100 hours time in service after fixed date)"],"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) under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998.\n\n**What it does:** It requires owners and operators of specific Socata TBM 700 aircraft to inspect and fix a problem with the **rudder skin** (the outer covering of the tail fin that steers the plane). The issue is that the rudder skin can **unbond** (come unstuck) from the rear spar (a structural beam inside the tail), which could affect the aircraft's control and safety.\n\n**Who it affects:** Only specific TBM 700 aircraft with serial numbers listed (roughly the first 75 planes built, with some gaps). If you own or operate one of these specific planes, you must comply.\n\n**What you must do:** Follow the instructions in **Socata Service Bulletin 70-027-55** — a technical document from the manufacturer detailing the inspection and repair procedure.\n\n**When you must do it:** Within 100 hours of flying time after 6 January 1994.\n\n**Why it matters:** Unbonding of the rudder skin could lead to loss of control of the aircraft. This directive ensures the problem is caught and fixed before it becomes dangerous. It references a French aviation safety directive (DGAC AD 93-178(B)), showing this was an international safety concern."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The directive as provided applies only to the listed TBM 700 serial numbers and requires compliance with the named Socata service bulletin within the stated 100-hour window. Nothing in the text indicates an expansion or narrowing of that scope from the instrument’s stated requirements: the instrument imposes a targeted maintenance obligation tied to a specific service bulletin and deadline (Applicability; Requirement; Compliance)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, explicit applicability defined by a discrete list of serial numbers (Applicability)","Mandatory action is defined by reference to an external technical document (Socata TBM 700 Service Bulletin 70-027-55) rather than detailed procedures in the directive itself (Requirement)","Fixed compliance deadline measured in flight hours after a calendar date (Compliance)","Reference to a foreign regulator’s AD (DGAC AD 93-178(B)), adding a layer of cross-reference (Note)","Technical nature of the remedy likely requires certified maintenance providers and parts, creating practical compliance steps not described in the directive (Requirement; Background)"],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive requires specified Aerospatiale (Socata) TBM 700 aircraft (by serial number) to have corrective work done per Socata Service Bulletin 70-027-55 within 100 flight hours after 6 January 1994 to address a potential rudder-skin to rear-spar unbonding.  \n\nIt affects owners/operators of the listed airframes and maintenance organisations, creates direct compliance costs and downtime, and delegates the technical remedy to the manufacturer’s service bulletin."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin","history":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-tbm-700-3-rudder-skin/documents"}}