AD/B737/254 - In-Flight Entertainment System - FAA STC ST00516AT

The Directive is brief and revolves around a narrow set of technical and regulatory concepts tied to continued airworthiness of affected aeroplanes. The operative concepts in the text are: applicability (which aeroplanes are captured), a prescribed removal procedure (service bulletin reference and specific steps), prohibition of further installations under the specified STC, compliance timing, and the stated safety justification.

Applicability: The AD applies only to Boeing 737‑200 series aeroplanes modified by FAA STC ST00516AT (Applicability). That is the gatekeeping concept: the Directive does not on its face apply to 737‑300/400/500 or other types, nor to 737‑200s not modified by that STC. The effect of that drafting is that the regulatory obligation attaches to the carriage history (whether the aircraft has that STC) rather than to the operator or to a fleet broadly.

Prescribed procedure: The AD explicitly requires removal "in accordance with the procedure in Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003" and lists the procedural steps: disconnect the power line from the IFE control unit to the P6 panel; cap and stow or remove related wiring; remove the IFE circuit breaker from the P6 panel; remove all IFE components (Requirement 1). The Directive also accepts removal done prior to the effective date if performed in accordance with an earlier dated edition of the same service bulletin (5 June 2002) (Requirement 1).

Prohibition: The AD contains a forward‑looking restraint: "New installations of IFE systems approved by STC ST00516AT may not be incorporated" (Requirement 2). That prohibits future installations that rely on that STC; it does not in the text purport to ban all IFE, only those tied to that STC.

Timing: The AD specifies temporal obligations,18 months for removal (Requirement 1; Compliance) and immediate effect for the prohibition on new STC ST00516AT installations (Requirement 2; Compliance). The effective date is 22 December 2005 (Compliance).

Safety rationale and cross‑reference: The Background identifies the hazard,potential inability to remove power from the IFE system leading to an inability to control smoke or fumes in cockpit or cabin,and the note refers to the applicable FAA AD (Background; Requirement note).

These concepts structure who must act, how they must act, by when, and why, in technical and operational terms.

The Directive names a narrow class of affected parties in its Applicability row: operators and owners of Boeing 737‑200 series aeroplanes that have been modified by FAA STC ST00516AT. The Instrument does not list specific operators or registrants; instead it ties the regulatory obligation to the aircraft model plus modification status. Practically, that means any operator, owner or maintenance organisation responsible for continued airworthiness of a 737‑200 with that STC is the addressee for compliance.

Who pays: The Directive requires physical removal of equipment and associated disconnection, wiring capping/stowing or removal, and removal of circuit breakers and components (Requirement 1). The party that must arrange and fund those actions is the operator or owner responsible for the aeroplane’s maintenance state, because the AD is an airworthiness requirement attached to the aircraft. The AD does not itself allocate costs or provide funding; the text is silent on reimbursement or compensation.

Who decides: The Directive prescribes a particular procedure (Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003) for removal and accepts an earlier dated edition if used prior to the effective date (Requirement 1). Therefore, discretion for the method is limited: the removal must follow the specified service bulletin. Decisions that remain with operators include scheduling, choice of maintenance provider, and whether to remove wiring or cap and stow it as permitted by the bulletin text (Requirement 1). The AD forbids new STC ST00516AT installations (Requirement 2), so decisions to re‑fit an IFE using that STC are removed.

Third parties: Maintenance organisations, certificated maintenance engineers, and organisations that perform alterations will be directly engaged to perform the removal and to sign off compliance. The AD does not name them, but the prescribed actions imply engagement of technical maintenance resources.

Ancillary contractual impacts: The AD does not mention service contracts, passenger entitlements, or lease arrangements. However, the obligation to remove installed IFE will affect any contractual commitments tied to provision of in‑flight entertainment, such as lease schedules or passenger service promises, because equipment will be removed and further installations of that STC are prohibited (Requirement 1; Requirement 2).

Regulatory actors: The Directive is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (signatory James Coyne, Delegate of CASA, 9 November 2005). The AD’s applicability rests on aircraft modification status and the Authority’s effective date (22 December 2005). The AD also cross‑references an FAA AD (Requirement note), indicating interaction between CASA’s action and FAA regulatory material.

In sum, the primary economic burden falls on aircraft owners/operators of 737‑200s with STC ST00516AT; maintenance providers will supply services; the regulator sets the mandatory procedural constraints and time limits.

The Directive specifies two primary duties for affected aeroplanes and their operators.

Duty 1 , Removal duty: If not previously accomplished, the operator must remove the IFE system installed by STC ST00516AT "in accordance with the procedure in Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003" (Requirement 1). The AD enumerates discrete physical actions within that prescribed procedure: disconnect the power line leading from the IFE control unit to the P6 panel; cap and stow all related wiring or remove related wiring from the aeroplane; remove the IFE system circuit breaker from the P6 panel; and remove all components of the IFE system from the aeroplane (Requirement 1). The AD recognises as compliant any removal performed before the AD’s effective date provided the removal followed Kosola Service Bulletin 2002‑1 dated 5 June 2002 (Requirement 1).

Duty 2 , Installation prohibition: As of the Directive’s effective date, no new installations of IFE systems approved by STC ST00516AT may be incorporated (Requirement 2). The AD does not outline a further administrative process for new approvals or alternative STCs; it simply states the prohibition as a stand‑alone duty.

Timing duties: The removal duty (Duty 1) must be completed within 18 months after the Directive’s effective date (Compliance). The installation prohibition (Duty 2) takes effect immediately as of the Directive’s effective date (Compliance). The effective date of the AD is 22 December 2005 (Compliance).

Rights and limits in the text: The AD does not create express affirmative rights such as compensation, deferral, or exemption mechanisms. It does, however, accept prior removals that were carried out in accordance with the earlier edition of the Kosola service bulletin (Requirement 1), which preserves compliance credit for operators who removed the equipment before the AD’s effective date using the earlier procedure. The AD also sets a clear procedural limit on how compliant removal must be performed by specifying the service bulletin; this constrains operator discretion over method and establishes an expectation for traceability to a documented maintenance procedure.

Administrative rights such as appeal, variation or exemption are not mentioned in the instrument’s text. The Directive includes a reference note to FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 Amdt 39‑13522 (Requirement note), but does not incorporate any FAA administrative remedies or procedures. Any rights to seek relief from the AD , for example through separate regulatory processes or request for approval to use alternative removal procedures , are not addressed in the document itself.

To summarise, the Directive imposes a mandatory removal duty to a specified procedural standard within a fixed period and a continuing prohibition on new installations under the named STC, while preserving compliance credit for certain earlier removals. It does not record exceptions, compensation, or appeal rights within its text.

The Directive’s text sets out the mandatory actions and compliance times but does not specify sanctions, monetary penalties, or the enforcement mechanisms within the document itself. The tabulated rows provide Applicability, Requirement text, Compliance schedules, the Background rationale and the effective date; there is no mention of penalty amounts, licence conditions, or enforcement processes in the AD as supplied.

Inference from structure: The AD is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (signed by James Coyne, Delegate of CASA, 9 November 2005). The language of an Airworthiness Directive creates a mandatory continuing airworthiness requirement for the aircraft captured by its Applicability, which operators must comply with by the stated deadlines (Requirement 1; Requirement 2; Compliance). Because the instrument mandates removal and dates for compliance, non‑compliance constitutes failure to meet the AD’s terms. The AD does not itself list enforcement consequences, and it does not state what administrative or criminal penalties will follow non‑compliance.

Procedural omission in text: The Directive does include a specific effective date (22 December 2005) and definitive compliance timeframes (18 months for removal; immediate prohibition on new STC installations) (Compliance). The absence of stated penalties in the text means that the Directive, as supplied, does not on its face prescribe enforcement actions or fines; any enforcement response would therefore depend on the broader Australian civil aviation statutory and regulatory framework and on CASA’s operational enforcement policies, none of which are included in the AD text.

Practical enforcement vectors (implicit): The AD does prescribe exact technical steps and references a service bulletin as the required method of removal. That specificity facilitates verification: an inspector or audit can check maintenance records for removal in accordance with Kosola Service Bulletin 2002‑1 and for removal dates relative to the compliance window. The AD also accepts prior removals under an earlier dated service bulletin (Requirement 1), so proof of such prior work would be a compliance defence. The AD does not set out how proof must be presented (for example recordkeeping or logbook entries), nor does it refer to forms or certificates of modification.

In sum, the instrument imposes mandatory technical duties with specified timelines but is silent on penalties and enforcement procedures. Those enforcement matters are not contained in the AD text provided.

The Directive itself references and interacts with a limited set of external regulatory materials and maintenance documents. The most explicit cross‑reference is to FAA material: the AD includes a note referring to FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 Amdt 39‑13522 (Requirement note). The Applicability ties the instrument to an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate: STC ST00516AT (Applicability). The required removal procedure is specified as Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1 (dated 16 July 2003), and the AD accepts an earlier edition of that same service bulletin dated 5 June 2002 for removals performed prior to the effective date (Requirement 1).

Direct interactions evident from the text:

• The AD reaches into FAA certification material by naming the FAA STC that created the modification (Applicability). That links the Australian AD’s scope to the aircraft’s modification status under an FAA STC.
• The AD expressly notes the FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 (Requirement note), indicating that CASA’s Directive is aligned with or responsive to the FAA’s airworthiness action concerning the same STC or installation.
• The AD binds operators to a manufacturer/installer service bulletin (Kosola Service Bulletin 2002‑1), which functions as the detailed technical method for complying with the AD (Requirement 1).

What is not in the text: The Directive does not reproduce or incorporate statutory provisions, enforcement statutes, airworthiness standards, or administrative appeal procedures. It does not specify how compliance with the AD must be certified in records or how the AD modifies any existing maintenance approvals, continuing airworthiness instructions, or lease and commercial agreements. The AD does not state whether alternative methods of compliance (AMOCs) are available, nor does it set out a process to apply for an exemption or variation. Those interactions would typically be managed through regulatory administrative processes external to the AD, but the AD text itself does not describe them.

Operational implication: Because the AD prescribes both the method of removal (specific service bulletin) and the prohibition on further installations under the named STC, operators must reconcile the Directive with any existing maintenance approval procedures, approved maintenance organisation responsibilities, and any continuing airworthiness manuals. The AD’s cross‑references oblige operators to consult the named FAA AD and the Kosola service bulletin in order to understand the technical details required by the Directive.

In short, the document integrates three concrete external items,the FAA STC, the FAA AD, and the Kosola service bulletin,into its requirements, but it does not elaborate administrative interactions such as enforcement jurisdiction, certification of compliance, or alternative compliance pathways.

The Directive text supplies several dated references and an issuance timeline but does not present a sequence of amendments to the AD itself. The items in the document that speak to timing and prior work are:

• The Directive is labelled AD/B737/254 and dated "13/2005" in the table header (AD/B737/254; 13/2005). It is signed by James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, with signature date 9 November 2005 (signature block).
• The AD states an effective date: "This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 22 December 2005" (Compliance).
• Requirement 1 instructs removal "in accordance with the procedure in Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003" (Requirement 1). The AD also provides that removal done prior to the AD’s effective date in accordance with Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1 dated 5 June 2002 is acceptable for compliance with Requirement 1 (Requirement 1). That recognises two dated editions of the same service bulletin, and establishes that removals done in accordance with the earlier edition count as compliant if completed before 22 December 2005.
• The AD contains a note pointing to FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 Amdt 39‑13522 (Requirement note), which sets the international regulatory context and suggests the FAA action predated CASA’s AD.

There is no text within this document indicating that it has been amended since issuance, nor does it list prior versions of the AD itself. The only temporal differences addressed are the effective date, the 18‑month compliance window for removal, and the acceptance of an earlier edition of the Kosola service bulletin for removals completed prior to the AD’s effective date.

If one is tracking the regulatory history as documented in this instrument, the timeline in the AD is:

• Kosola SB dated 5 June 2002 (earlier edition, acceptable if removal done before AD effective date).
• Kosola SB dated 16 July 2003 (prescribed procedure for removals after AD issue).
• FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 (reference noted).
• CASA AD signed 9 November 2005 and effective 22 December 2005, with an 18‑month removal compliance window thereafter.

Because the AD text does not contain later amendment entries, any subsequent amendments, rescissions, supersessions, or repeal would not be recorded here and would need to be located in the regulator’s public AD index or amendment notices outside this document.

The AD text contains no litigation history. It does not report any judicial decisions, appeals, or proceedings related to the Directive or the underlying safety matter. The document also does not cite cases, disputes between parties, or administrative review outcomes.

Absence of litigation information in the AD means two things in terms of source‑grounded reporting: first, the AD as supplied does not provide evidence of any legal challenges or court determinations about its validity, scope, or enforcement. Second, any information about whether the AD was the subject of litigation, administrative review, or settled disputes must be sought from external records such as court dockets, administrative appeals records, or CASA enforcement files; none of that material is included in the AD text provided.

For practical purposes, the AD is presented as a final regulatory instrument with an effective date and compliance times, and the document lists no legal contestation or procedural history in its own text.

The Directive contains a number of technical and drafting specifics that could produce operational surprises for owners, operators and maintenance organisations. The following points derive directly from the AD wording and are matters to watch closely when implementing or advising on compliance.

1. Applicability is narrow but absolute. The AD applies only to Boeing 737‑200 series aeroplanes "modified by United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST00516AT" (Applicability). Aircraft of that model that do not carry that STC are not captured. Conversely, an aircraft that does carry the STC is captured regardless of operator or registration. Owners must confirm STC status in their documentation; lack of awareness of a previous modification could lead to inadvertent non‑compliance.

2. Removal must follow a specific service bulletin edition. The AD mandates removal "in accordance with the procedure in Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003" and accepts the 5 June 2002 edition only for removals completed prior to the AD’s effective date (Requirement 1). Using a different procedure, or variations from the prescribed steps, may risk non‑compliance with the AD unless documented as equivalent and accepted by the regulator. The AD does not set out how alternative methods can be approved within its text.

3. The listed removal steps are discrete and include both electrical isolation and hardware removal. The AD requires disconnecting the power line from the IFE control unit to the P6 panel; capping and stowing or removing wiring; removing the IFE system circuit breaker from the P6 panel; and removing all components (Requirement 1). Operators must ensure maintenance documentation captures each of these actions.

4. Early removals require the earlier service bulletin edition. If an operator removed the IFE before 22 December 2005, acceptance depends on whether removal followed the Kosola SB dated 5 June 2002 (Requirement 1). Removals under other procedures prior to the effective date are not explicitly accepted in the AD.

5. The AD prohibits new installations only for that STC. Requirement 2 states: "New installations of IFE systems approved by STC ST00516AT may not be incorporated." The instrument does not on its face ban all IFE installations or installations under other STCs or approvals. However, operators should not assume that alternative installations are automatically permitted; other approvals, airworthiness requirements, and compatibility considerations may apply. The AD itself does not provide guidance on whether or how an alternative IFE installation would be approved.

6. No penalties or enforcement procedure are described. The AD sets mandatory technical duties and compliance dates but does not include enforcement, penalty amounts or administrative processes in the text provided. This omission can create uncertainty for operators about proof of compliance and consequences of breach; operators should therefore preserve thorough documentation.

7. Timing: 18 months for removal. The AD gives a specific compliance window for removal (Requirement 1; Compliance). Operators must schedule maintenance within that period and account for aircraft downtime and logistical coordination. The prohibition on new STC installations is immediate as of the effective date (Requirement 2; Compliance).

8. Cross‑jurisdictional references. The Directive references FAA AD 2004‑05‑27 (Requirement note). Operators should review referenced FAA material and the Kosola service bulletin to ensure the technical steps and contexts are aligned.

9. Documentation expectations implied but not specified. The AD does not set forth exactly what paperwork is required to demonstrate compliance (for example maintenance release entries, logbook annotations, or AD compliance reporting forms). Operators should treat the AD as imposing a duty to effect the physical removal and to maintain records sufficient to demonstrate compliance to CASA, even though the AD does not prescribe the record format.

Attention to these specificity points will reduce the risk of procedural missteps when implementing the Directive.

The AD provides a clear, short compliance pathway. Compliance requires two distinct actions depending on the aircraft’s state.

1. For aeroplanes that already have the IFE system installed under STC ST00516AT and where removal has not been accomplished: carry out removal in accordance with Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003 (Requirement 1). Follow the procedural steps that the AD lists: disconnect the power line that leads from the IFE system control unit to the P6 panel; cap and stow all related wiring or remove related wiring from the aeroplane; remove the IFE system circuit breaker from the P6 panel; and remove all components of the IFE system from the aeroplane (Requirement 1). The AD accepts equivalent removals completed before the effective date if they were done in accordance with Kosola SB dated 5 June 2002 (Requirement 1). The compliance deadline for removal is within 18 months after the AD’s effective date (Compliance). The AD’s effective date is 22 December 2005 (Compliance); accordingly, removals undertaken after that date must follow the July 2003 edition of the Kosola service bulletin unless an earlier removal under the June 2002 edition was completed prior to 22 December 2005.

Practical steps to implement Duty 1:

• Verify which aircraft in the operator’s fleet carry STC ST00516AT (maintenance records, STC plates or modification documentation).
• Obtain Kosola and Associates Service Bulletin 2002‑1, dated 16 July 2003, and review the detailed removal instructions, safety precautions, and parts lists that the SB contains.
• Schedule maintenance within the 18‑month compliance window to remove power lines, cap/stow or remove wiring, remove the circuit breaker from the P6 panel, and physically remove all IFE components.
• Record the work in aircraft maintenance records, logbooks and any AD compliance worksheets, noting the SB edition used and the removal date.
• If removal was already performed prior to the AD effective date, confirm that the earlier Kosola SB dated 5 June 2002 was used and retain documentation showing the date and method of removal for compliance evidence.

2. For future installations: do not incorporate new installations of IFE systems approved by STC ST00516AT as of the Directive’s effective date (Requirement 2). That prohibition is immediate on the effective date (Compliance). If an operator contemplates refitting an IFE, they must ensure the installation does not rely on STC ST00516AT; the AD does not itself provide approval pathways for alternative installations.

Practical steps regarding Duty 2:

• Update internal modification and procurement controls so that no new purchases, contracts or maintenance projects call for incorporation using STC ST00516AT.
• If considering alternative IFE options, consult CASA and follow applicable airworthiness approval processes for any new STC or supplemental approval before attempting installation; do not rely on the AD for guidance on acceptable alternative approvals because the AD only states the prohibition on STC ST00516AT installations.

Records and proof:

• The AD does not specify a particular form for proving compliance. Ensure that the aircraft’s maintenance records contain a clear entry documenting the AD reference (AD/B737/254), the service bulletin used for removal, the work performed (including disconnection of the power line to the P6 panel and removal of the circuit breaker), dates, signatures of certifying engineers, and any parts removed or stowed. Retain photographic evidence if available.
• If removal was completed under the earlier Kosola SB dated 5 June 2002 before 22 December 2005, preserve documentation that demonstrates compliance with that earlier bulletin to rely on the AD’s acceptance clause.

Timeline management:

• Because the AD gives 18 months for removal, operators should plan to perform the work during scheduled heavy maintenance or other downtimes to minimise operational disruption. The AD itself does not prescribe scheduling rules; operators should integrate AD compliance into their maintenance planning.

In short, compliance consists of (a) verifying STC status; (b) performing the removal exactly as prescribed in the stated Kosola SB within the 18‑month window (or relying on an earlier SB removal done prior to the effective date); (c) ensuring no new installations under STC ST00516AT are incorporated as of the effective date; and (d) maintaining contemporaneous records to demonstrate compliance.