{"id":"F2006B07561","name":"AD/VAT/28 Amdt 7 - Wing Spar and Wing Spar Attachment and Fittings","slug":"ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":50155,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B07561-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/VAT/28 Amdt 7 - Wing Spar and Wing Spar Attachment and Fittings","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nVicta and A.E.S.L. Airtourer Series Aeroplanes\n\nAD/VAT/28\n\nAmdt 7\n\n  \nWing Spar and Wing Spar Attachment and Fittings 7/92\n\nApplicability: All models.\n\nRequirement: l. Prepare the aircraft for inspection by either:\n\n    Removing the wing from the fuselage, removing the fuel tank access panel, and derivetting the wing bay skins adjacent to the tank bay, or\n\n    b. In accordance with a Scheme approved by the Authority provide permanent access to:\n\n    the wing to fuselage rear attachment fittings and lower fuselage longerons; and\n\n    ii. port and stbd wing bays adjacent to the fuel tank bay.\n\n    2. Inspect for wear, corrosion and cracking of:\n\n    the fuselage attachment bolts,\n\n    b. wing attachment fittings and bushes, and\n\n    c. lower fuselage longerons in the area of the wing rear attachment points.\n\n    3. Inspect the rear spar carry through for corrosion within the tank bay and immediately adjacent to the wing ribs in the adjacent wing bays, paying particular attention to associated hardware brackets and doublers. The inspection shall be carried out using access gained by:\n\n    removing the fuel tank to the forward end of the tank bay, and\n\n    b. the scheme approved for Requirement l.b. above.\n\n    4. Inspect the laminated tank underpan upper and lower surfaces for corrosion and core integrity. Discrete drain holes from the tank bay may need to be installed to prevent moisture accumulation in a replacement panel. Modify and/or repair in accordance with a scheme approved by the Authority.\n\n    5. All inspections shall be carried out using a strong light source and those inspections required for crack detection with a magnifying glass of l0x or greater.\n\nNote: AUTO AVIA DESIGN EIS 90/089/EII is a scheme acceptable to the Authority for Requirement 1b compliance; and provides additional information to achieve compliance with Requirements 2, 3, and 4.\n\nCompliance: 1a. Within 6 years time in service after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6 years time in service; until modified in accordance with Requirement 1b.\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n    2. Within 6 years time in service after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6 years time in service.\n\n    3. For New Zealand manufactured aircraft with the following serial numbers; 514, 515, A523, A532, A537R, A548, A554, B558, B559, B570, B571, B573, and B574:\n\nWithin 12 years time in service after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 12 years time in service.\n\nFor Australian manufactured aircraft:\n\nWithin 6 years time in service after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6 years time in service.\n\n    4. Within 6 years time in service after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6 years time in service.\n\nNote: Approved repairs restoring the structure to original strength and incorporation of an approved corrosion prevention scheme extends the repeat inspection to a period no greater than 12 years.\n\nThe compliance of the previous issue of this Directive was: repetitive inspection periods of 3 years for Requirements 1, 2, 3, and 4. This Amendment is effective\n\nfrom 25 June 1992.\n\nBackground: Amendment 6 reflected the outcome of the melding of operator and Authority requirements following submissions to, and investigation by, the Authority.\n\nRequirement l obviated the need to remove the wing from the aircraft. Requirement 2 reflected the necessity to still inspect but used a simpler procedure which recognised the aircraft’s current usage. Requirements 3 and 4 provided for extended inspection periodicities at an awkward inspection area.\n\nAmendment 7 is issued as a result of a review of this Directive; following a fleetwide survey of AD inspection findings conducted by the Type Certificate Holder.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Amendment 7 refines inspection methods and periodicities but does not expand the Directive beyond its original subject matter (inspection and maintenance of wing spar, attachments, fittings and tank underpan). The changes alter how access may be achieved (allowing Authority‑approved permanent access instead of mandatory wing removal) and adjust inspection intervals for specified serial numbers and for aircraft with approved repairs/corrosion prevention, but these are procedural and timing changes rather than a substantive broadening of scope."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple inspection requirements divided into four substantive Requirements (1–4) plus a tool/technique requirement (5)","Alternative access routes in Requirement 1 (Option A: wing removal and derivetting; Option B: Authority‑approved permanent access scheme)","Cross‑references to Authority approval for schemes and repairs (Authority discretion required in multiple places)","Different compliance intervals: standard 6‑year interval, a 12‑year interval for listed New Zealand serial numbers, and conditional 12‑year extension when approved repairs/corrosion prevention are applied","Reference to a specific acceptable scheme (AUTO AVIA DESIGN EIS 90/089/EII) as an example of compliance","Operational details (e.g. 10x magnifier requirement, potential need for discrete drain holes) increasing technical specificity","Dependence on prior compliance dates under earlier issues to determine current due dates (administrative tracking)","Notes and background that alter interpretation of compliance (approved repairs change intervals) creating exceptions to exceptions"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics first)\n\n- Applies to: All Victa and A.E.S.L. Airtourer series aeroplanes (all models).\n\n- Main action required: repetitive structural inspections of the wing spar, wing-to-fuselage rear attachment and associated fittings and longerons, plus inspection of the laminated fuel tank underpan (Requirements 1–4).\n\n- How to get access for the inspections (Requirement 1):\n  - Option A: remove the wing from the fuselage, remove the fuel tank access panel, and drill out (derivett) the wing bay skins next to the tank bay; or\n  - Option B: adopt a permanent access arrangement that has been approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (the ‘Authority’) that provides access to the rear wing-to-fuselage attachment fittings, lower longerons and the inboard wing bays adjacent to the fuel tank.\n\n- What to inspect (Requirements 2–4):\n  - Inspect fuselage attachment bolts, wing attachment fittings and bushes, and lower fuselage longerons at the rear wing attachment points (Requirement 2).\n  - Inspect the rear spar carry-through structure inside the tank bay and in adjacent wing bays for corrosion and for condition of brackets and doublers. Access must be via removal of the fuel tank forward to the end of the tank bay and/or the approved access scheme (Requirement 3).\n  - Inspect the laminated tank underpan (upper and lower surfaces) for corrosion and core integrity; consider installing discrete drain holes to prevent moisture build-up in replacement panels; modify or repair only under an Authority‑approved scheme (Requirement 4).\n\n- How to do the inspections: use a strong light and, for crack detection, a magnifying glass of 10x or greater (Requirement 5).\n\n- Timing (Compliance paragraphs):\n  - Default repeat interval: within 6 years time-in-service after the last compliance under a previous issue of this Directive, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 6 years, for Requirements 1–4 unless otherwise modified by Requirement 1b (i.e. adoption of an approved permanent access scheme) or other notes.\n  - Exception for certain New Zealand manufactured serial numbers (listed): repeat interval is within 12 years after last compliance and thereafter not to exceed 12 years (Compliance paragraph 3). For Australian‑manufactured aircraft the interval remains 6 years.\n  - Note: Approved repairs that restore original strength and an approved corrosion prevention scheme can extend repeat inspections to up to 12 years (Note).\n\n- Administrative/approval matters: the Authority must approve the permanent access scheme or repair/corrosion prevention schemes. The directive notes that AUTO AVIA DESIGN EIS 90/089/EII is an acceptable scheme for Requirement 1b and gives extra guidance for Requirements 2–4.\n\nWhy the Authority says it was done (stated purpose) and how that maps to practical effects\n\n- Official rationale (stated): the amendment follows a fleetwide survey of inspection findings by the Type Certificate Holder and aims to refine inspection procedures and intervals — in particular to avoid unnecessarily removing the wing, to simplify inspection procedures in line with current aircraft use, and to provide for extended inspection periodicities in hard-to-access areas.\n\n- Practical mapping of that rationale to effects:\n  - Reduces the need to remove the wing if an approved permanent access scheme is used (saves labour, reduces downtime) (Requirement 1b).\n  - Provides a clearer, simpler inspection checklist for bolts, fittings, longerons, spar carry‑through and tank panels (Requirements 2–4) and prescribes minimum inspection tools (strong light and 10x magnifier) (Requirement 5).\n  - Allows longer intervals for some New Zealand‑made serial numbers and for aircraft where approved repairs and corrosion protection have been applied (Compliance para 3; Note).\n\nWho pays, who decides, and what behaviour changes\n\n- Who pays: aircraft owners/operators pay inspection labour and materials, costs of installing approved permanent access or making approved repairs/modifications, and any downtime costs while inspections or modifications occur.\n\n- Who decides: the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (the Authority) approves access schemes, repair and corrosion prevention schemes, and determines whether a specific scheme meets the Directive’s requirements (Requirement 1b; Requirement 4; Note).\n\n- Behaviour changes required of operators: either schedule wing removal and derivetting every 6 years (or 12 for certain NZ serials), or adopt an Authority‑approved permanent access scheme to avoid wing removal; inspect and repair as required; document compliance and any approved modifications/repairs that change inspection intervals.\n\nCosts, incentives, trade‑offs, and implementation risks (mechanisms, not judgments)\n\n- Upfront cost vs ongoing cost trade‑off: installing an approved permanent access scheme or completing approved repairs and a corrosion prevention scheme requires upfront expense and engineering approval. Those actions can reduce recurring labour and downtime (fewer wing removals, possibly doubled inspection intervals for eligible aircraft) (Requirement 1b; Note).\n\n- Risk shifting and substitution effects: longer inspection intervals (6 → up to 12 years for some aircraft or after approved repairs) reduce inspection frequency but increase the interval during which an undetected defect could grow. The Directive responds to that risk by conditioning longer intervals on approved repairs/corrosion schemes or specific serial numbers (Compliance para 3; Note).\n\n- Compliance burden and technical specificity: the Directive prescribes inspection methods (light source; 10x magnifier) and references an acceptable scheme (AUTO AVIA DESIGN EIS 90/089/EII). That creates a clear technical bar but requires operators to either follow the named scheme or obtain Authority approval for alternatives (Requirement 5; Note).\n\n- Bureaucratic discretion and approvals: the Authority’s approval is required for permanent access schemes and repairs that change inspection periodicities. That central approval role creates a gatekeeper function affecting timing and allowable modifications (Requirement 1b; Requirement 4; Note).\n\n- Concentrated vs diffuse costs/benefits: the immediate financial costs fall on individual owners/operators; the safety benefits (if realized) are diffuse across passengers and other airspace users. The Directive concentrates approval and conformity decisions in the Authority.\n\nImplementation notes and operational detail worth flagging\n\n- Specific tools and inspection standard: inspections for crack detection must use at least a 10x magnifier (Requirement 5).\n- Repairs/modifications must be implemented under an Authority‑approved scheme; approved repairs restoring original strength plus a corrosion prevention scheme permit extending repeat inspections to no greater than 12 years (Note).\n- The Directive retains references to prior compliance under earlier issues; operators must track last compliance dates under previous issues to calculate the next due date (Compliance paragraphs).\n\nIn short: the Directive mandates repetitive inspections of the wing spar, attachments and fuel tank underpan on Airtourer aircraft, offers an Authority‑approved alternative to removing the wing (permanent access), prescribes inspection technique and intervals (standard 6 years, with 12‑year exceptions for certain serial numbers or approved repairs), and places approval authority and technical compliance burdens on operators and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (cited: Requirements 1–5, Compliance paragraphs, Note)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Originally this directive required wing removal and 3-yearly inspections. Amendment 7 significantly expanded the scope to allow alternative compliance methods (permanent access panels), differentiated treatment by country of manufacture, and extended inspection intervals based on fleet-wide survey data. The directive evolved from a rigid safety mandate to a more flexible, risk-based framework while maintaining the core safety objective."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple compliance pathways (Requirement 1a vs 1b) with different downstream effects on inspection intervals","Bifurcated compliance schedules distinguishing between Australian and New Zealand manufactured aircraft for Requirement 3","Conditional logic: compliance intervals change based on whether aircraft has been modified with permanent access panels","Cross-reference to external approved scheme (AUTO AVIA DESIGN EIS 90/089/EII) without reproducing its content","Nested timing calculations: 'within X years after last compliance in accordance with a previous issue of this Directive'","Exception to the general rule: approved repairs and corrosion prevention schemes can extend intervals to 12 years maximum"],"plain_english_summary":"This Airworthiness Directive requires owners, operators and maintenance engineers of Victa and A.E.S.L. Airtourer light aircraft to carry out regular inspections of the wing spar, attachment fittings and surrounding structure for wear, corrosion and cracking—using strong lighting and magnification—to prevent catastrophic wing failure.  \n\nInspections are generally every six years (with some New Zealand-built aircraft and aircraft with approved permanent access panels eligible for 12‑year intervals). The 7th amendment relaxes some earlier requirements while maintaining safety."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings","history":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-vat-28-amdt-7-wing-spar-and-wing-spar-attachment-and-fittings/documents"}}