AD/CL-600/36 Amdt 1 - Elevator Flutter Damper Shear Pins

This AD operates through a small set of interlocking technical and administrative concepts drawn from the aircraft type design, the maintenance record regime, and temporary operational mitigations.

• Applicability by serial number. The directive applies only to Model CL-600-2B19 aircraft with serial numbers 7003 through 7357. The AD’s Requirements split that range into two cohorts for procedural reasons: 7003-7142 and 7144 on one track (Requirement 1), and 7143 and 7145-7357 on another (Requirements 2 and 3). The amendment expressly corrects a prior typographical error in the serial number range listed in Requirement 1, while leaving technical requirements and compliance dates unchanged (Background).

• Replacement part as the permanent fix. The AD specifies the exact replacement part number, 601R24063-31/S. The replacement is required “in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions” of Bombardier SB 601R-27-100, which the AD incorporates as the method for accomplishing the physical work (Requirement 1; Requirement 3(b)).

• Record-based triage. For a defined sub-cohort of airframes (7143, and 7145-7357), the operator’s maintenance records determine whether action is necessary. If records verify that the pins were replaced with the correct part number or never replaced, no further action is required. If records cannot verify correct parts, the AD imposes both an interim operational restriction and a mandatory corrective installation (Requirement 2; Requirement 3).

• Interim operational restriction. Where verification fails, the AD requires insertion of TR RJ/68-1 into the Aircraft Flight Manual and that flight crews be advised to perform additional elevator control checks at the first flight of the day, pending replacement of the pins (Requirement 3(a)). The AD also provides that, upon installation of the new pins per the SB, the temporary AFM requirement may be removed (Requirement 3(b) and the table note).

• Reference to prior regulatory actions and foreign authority. The AD notes that Transport Canada AD CF-2000-10 is related and that the problem followed earlier action under Transport Canada AD CF-94-21R1. The background explains the causal chain: three premature failures were reported and a QC failure led to pins that did not meet design specifications, thereby prompting this replacement requirement (Background; Note).

Operationally, the AD moves operators from an interim mitigation regime (additional AFM procedures) to a hardware fix (specified replacement parts installed per the vendor SB). The AD makes the vendor SB the operative technical instruction by direct reference to its specific paragraphs and parts for accomplishment instructions.

The AD’s primary addressees are operators and owners of Bombardier (Canadair) CL-600-2B19 “Regional Jet” aircraft with serial numbers 7003 through 7357. That set of serial numbers is the sole applicability criterion stated in the AD (Applicability).

• Aircraft operators and owners. Operators that currently fly or maintain aircraft within the serial number range must undertake the record reviews, operational mitigations, and/or hardware replacement set out in the Requirements. The AD assigns obligations that sit with the operator or maintenance organisation to implement the SB procedures and to insert or delete AFM material and brief flight crews where required (Requirements 1-3).

• Maintenance organisations and engineers. The SB parts A, B and C are procedural instructions for accomplishment, so certificated maintenance providers that carry out the installations must follow the SB’s paragraph 2 Accomplishment Instructions for installation and record practices. The AD makes the accomplishment method binding by reference to the SB parts. Maintenance personnel are the ones who will make the logbook entries and the records that satisfy Requirement 2’s review step.

• Flight crews. Where records cannot verify compliance and TR RJ/68-1 is inserted into the AFM, flight crews are required to perform additional elevator control checks at the first flight of the day as described in TR RJ/68-1 and be advised of that insertion (Requirement 3(a)). These are operational duties placed on flight crews by virtue of AFM content changes implemented by the operator.

• Regulatory and inspection authorities. Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the issuer of the AD, with a named delegate signing (Mike Higgins). The AD’s effective dates and compliance deadlines are matters for regulators to monitor in oversight and surveillance, though the AD text does not itself set out enforcement penalties (see Penalties and enforcement).

• Parts suppliers and logistics. The AD obliges the physical availability of the specified replacement shear pins, part number 601R24063-31/S, and so affects supply chains for that part. Operators must source the correct P/N and follow the SB installation instructions.

Who does not have to act. Aircraft outside the serial number range are not subject to this AD. For aircraft within the 7143 and 7145-7357 range that have maintenance records showing either no replacement or replacement with the specified P/N, no additional work is required (Requirement 2).

The AD creates a discrete set of duties, all phrased as mandatory requirements. The AD text is procedural and technical; it does not create explicit rights language such as compensation or appeal rights within the document itself. The AD’s duties are:

• Duty to install replacement shear pins where required. For SN 7003-7142 and 7144, the operator must "Install new shear pins part number 601R24063-31/S in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part A of Bombardier Service Bulletin (SB) 601R-27-100, dated 22 December 1999" (Requirement 1). For SN 7143 and 7145-7357 where verification fails, installation must be carried out "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part C of SB 601R-27-100" (Requirement 3(b)).

• Duty to review records. For SN 7143 and 7145-7357, operators must "Review the aircraft maintenance logbook or records in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part B of Bombardier SB 601R-27-100, to determine if any elevator flutter damper shear pins have been replaced since aircraft delivery" (Requirement 2). The required scope and method of that review are expressly linked to Part B of the SB.

• Duty to impose interim AFM requirements pending replacement. Where verification of correct pin installation cannot be made, operators must "Insert a copy of TR RJ/68-1 into the Aircraft Flight Manual and advise the flight crew of additional first flight of the day checks of the elevator control system as described in TR RJ/68-1" (Requirement 3(a)). The AD then relaxes that duty once the replacement is accomplished, by stating the TR can be removed once the new shear pins are installed (Requirement 1; the table note).

• Duty to comply within specified timeframes. The AD sets explicit deadlines: Requirement 1 must be completed before 14 April 2001; Requirement 2 within 14 days after 13 July 2000; Requirement 3(a) within 30 days after 13 July 2000; Requirement 3(b) before 14 April 2001 (Compliance table). These deadlines create binding temporal obligations for affected operators.

Rights and procedural points implicit in the AD text

• The AD implicitly recognises a compliance alternative where adequate records exist. That is, for certain serial numbers, accurate maintenance records showing prior replacement with the specified P/N mean no further action is required (Requirement 2).

• The AD makes the vendor service bulletin the normative method of accomplishment, but it does not set out in the text any alternative methods of compliance or approval process. The AD therefore leaves any deviations from the SB or alternative methods to whatever regulatory processes CASA or the operator may have for alternative compliance approvals, though those processes are not specified in this document.

• The AD does not include language granting rights to compensation for costs, nor does it state an appeals mechanism within the text. The AD is a regulatory instruction from the issuing authority, signed by a CASA delegate (Mike Higgins).

In sum, duties fall on operators and maintenance organisations to certify, record, install and, where necessary, impose interim AFM measures and crew procedures in the precise manner and timeframe the AD prescribes. The AD explicitly ties accomplishment methods to the Bombardier SB parts and to a named TR for interim operations.

The AD text itself does not specify civil or criminal penalties, nor does it set out an enforcement mechanism or administrative sanction within the printed body of the directive. The document is signed by a CASA delegate and carries effective dates and compliance deadlines, which places it within the formal hierarchy of directions that CASA issues for airworthiness. The AD’s enforcement implications therefore arise from its statutory and regulatory context, but the AD does not enumerate those enforcement provisions.

What the AD does provide relevant to enforcement is:

• Clear compliance deadlines. The AD gives precise compliance dates: Requirement 2 must be completed within 14 days after 13 July 2000, Requirement 3(a) within 30 days after 13 July 2000, and Requirements 1 and 3(b) before 14 April 2001. These deadlines are explicit, which allows regulators to measure compliance.

• Definitive accomplishment methods. The AD prescribes that work must be performed "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions" of the specified parts of SB 601R-27-100. That linkage creates an objective standard against which compliance can be inspected.

• A named signature and effective date. The AD is signed by Mike Higgins, Delegate of CASA, dated 1 July 2013, and the amendment is stated as becoming effective on 19 July 2013. The AD also records that the "original issue of this airworthiness directive became effective on 13 July 2000" and that Amendment 1 corrects a typographical error in serial numbers without changing technical requirements or compliance dates (Background).

Absent from the AD text

• No stated penalty schedule. The AD does not list fines, licence consequences, or explicit enforcement processes. It does not describe administrative review or appeal procedures, nor does it state any monetary compensation framework for costs incurred by operators.

• No instructions for deviations or alternative methods of compliance. The AD mandates the SB procedures and the TR insertion where applicable. It does not state how an operator might request an alternative method of compliance, nor does it prescribe the process for obtaining such approvals within the AD itself.

Practical enforcement implication. Because the AD prescribes concrete actions, steps and compliance dates, those items are the measurable elements that regulators would use in surveillance and enforcement activity. However the AD leaves the regulatory enforcement posture, penalty mechanisms and alternative compliance processes to broader CASA regulatory frameworks rather than detailing them in the directive text.

The AD refers explicitly to relevant foreign authority actions and prior Transport Canada directives. The document situates itself as part of an international technical oversight framework for aviation safety.

• Cross-reference to Transport Canada ADs. The AD contains a "Note: Transport Canada AD CF-2000-10 refers" and the Background references Transport Canada AD CF-94-21R1 as the earlier action under which the "improved" shear pins were installed. The AD explains that "three cases of premature failure of the improved elevator flutter damper shear pins, installed in accordance with Transport Canada AD CF-94-21R1, have been reported" and that the investigation revealed a quality control problem causing nonconforming pins. The AD therefore operates as an Australian regulator’s response to a defect initially identified and acted upon in Canada.

• Vendor service bulletin as technical standard. The AD makes Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-27-100 the operative technical document by specific reference to its paragraphs and parts A, B and C for accomplishment instructions. This means the SB, although produced by the manufacturer, is incorporated into regulatory obligation by the AD. Operators must follow the SB’s prescribed methods to meet the AD’s requirements.

• Interaction with Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) regulatory regime. The AD requires insertion of TR RJ/68-1 into the AFM where records cannot verify correct pin installation, and later permits removal of the TR once the replacement is accomplished. This changes the AFM content that operators must comply with; AFM requirements are typically a regulated aspect of operations under civil aviation rules, so the AD interfaces with AFM regulation and operational compliance.

• No statutory references in the text. The AD does not quote enabling statutory provisions or regulations under which it is issued. It is an instrument signed by a CASA delegate, and its legal force arises from the broader statutory and regulatory powers of the aviation regulator, though those enabling provisions are not stated in the AD itself.

• Operational vs design authority interplay. The AD addresses both procedural/operational mitigations (temporary AFM checks) and design/component change (replacement with specified part P/N). It therefore intersects with maintenance, design documentation, continuing airworthiness rules, and operational safety procedures.

• International feedthrough. The reference to Transport Canada directives signals standard international practice in civil aviation safety where an airworthiness authority will take action following identification of a defect in another authority’s jurisdiction, particularly where the type certificate or manufacturer is linked to that jurisdiction. The AD makes no attempt to harmonise or restate the content of the referenced Transport Canada ADs beyond noting their relevance.

Overall, the AD integrates a manufacturer SB, temporary AFM material, and prior foreign directives into a set of enforceable requirements for Australian-registered aircraft in the specified serial number range. The AD itself does not set out interactions with other specific Acts or regulations in the text.

The AD carries an explicit amendment history within its text.

• Original AD effective 13 July 2000. The document records that the "original issue of this airworthiness directive became effective on 13 July 2000." That original AD established the technical requirements and the original compliance dates.

• Amendment 1 effective 19 July 2013. The document is titled "AD/CL-600/36 Amdt 1" and records that "This Amendment becomes effective on 19 July 2013." The AD’s signature block is dated 1 July 2013 and is signed by Mike Higgins, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, indicating the administrative step to issue Amendment 1.

• Purpose of Amendment 1. The Background expressly states the purpose of Amendment 1 is to "correct a typographical error in the serial number range of aircraft listed in Requirement 1." The Background also clarifies that "This amendment makes no changes to the technical requirements and the original compliance dates remain unchanged."

• No other amendments recorded in the text. The AD’s text does not list any other amendments, supersessions or revocations beyond the original issue and this Amendment 1. There is no indication within the AD text of subsequent superseding ADs or re-issues.

• Reference to prior Transport Canada action. While not an amendment of the Australian AD per se, the Background notes the causal chain that led to the AD: three premature failures of the "improved" shear pins installed under Transport Canada AD CF-94-21R1 were reported, leading to this directive, and Transport Canada AD CF-2000-10 is noted as a referring document. These references form part of the technical provenance for the AD.

Operational consequence of the amendment history. The only recorded change introduced by Amendment 1 is the correction of a typographical error in the serial number range for Requirement 1. The AD therefore instructs operators that the substantive technical measures and deadlines established in the original 2000 directive continue to apply, and that the 2013 amendment only cleaned up the serial number listing.

The AD text does not refer to any litigation, appeals, court decisions or tribunal proceedings arising from this directive. It names no cases and records no legal challenges. The document provides no record of judicial review, legal disputes, or enforcement litigation related to the AD.

What the AD does show in relation to dispute or review mechanisms

• No internal appeal mechanism recorded in the AD. The directive does not set out any formal appeal, review or waiver process within its text, nor does it indicate any dispute resolution mechanism. It binds affected operators to the stated requirements and the associated compliance dates.

• No court cases cited. The AD contains no case law citations. The Background and Notes only describe factual and regulatory cross-references to Transport Canada ADs, not litigation.

If a practitioner needs to research litigation or challenges to this AD, the AD itself gives no leads beyond the CASA signatory and the dates of issue and amendment. Any litigation history must be sought in external sources such as CASA enforcement records, court databases or administrative review decisions, none of which are contained in this document.

The AD contains a number of specific technical and procedural features that could catch practitioners and operators if not read closely. These "gotchas" are directly grounded in the AD text.

• Serial number sub-cohort segmentation and the typographical correction. Applicability is the narrow serial number range 7003 through 7357. The Requirements divide that range asymmetrically: Requirement 1 applies to serial numbers 7003-7142 and 7144, whereas Requirement 2 and 3 apply to serial number 7143 and serial numbers 7145-7357. Amendment 1 exists solely to correct a prior typographical error in the serial number range listed in Requirement 1. Operators must make sure they apply the correct requirement to each airframe , e.g. 7143 is treated differently from 7144 , because the AD ties different procedural paths to those specific serial numbers (Applicability; Requirements; Background).

• Record sufficiency determines work. For SN 7143, and 7145-7357, whether installation is required depends entirely on what the maintenance logbook or records show. The AD says "if no elevator flutter damper shear pins have been replaced or if the shear pins have been replaced with part number 601R24063-31/S, no further action is required." If records are incomplete or ambiguous, the operator must treat that as a failure to verify and follow the more onerous path of inserting the TR into the AFM and then installing the pins (Requirement 2; Requirement 3). Poor record-keeping therefore imposes both interim operational burdens and final maintenance costs.

• Interim AFM insertion has operational consequences. When verification cannot be made, the AD requires insertion of TR RJ/68-1 into the Aircraft Flight Manual and advising the flight crew that additional first-flight-of-the-day elevator control checks must be performed (Requirement 3(a)). This is not merely a maintenance note. It requires changes to AFM content and crew actions until the hardware fix is completed, which can affect dispatchability and crew workload.

• Removal of AFM TR is conditional on accomplishing the SB installation. The AD explicitly states that "Upon accomplishment of the above requirement, the additional first flight of the day checks of the elevator control system as described in TR RJ/68-1, are no longer required and TR RJ/68-1 can be removed from the Aircraft Flight Manual" (Requirement 1 and table note). Operators must therefore document removal only after verifying installation per the SB instructions, not merely upon informal assurance.

• Exact part number and SB paragraphs are mandatory. The AD mandates installation of shear pins P/N 601R24063-31/S "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions" of the relevant part of SB 601R-27-100. Failure to follow the specified SB paragraphs may result in non-compliance even if replacement occurs with the correct P/N in some other manner. The AD makes the SB the operative technical standard (Requirements 1 and 3(b)).

• Compliance dates are fixed and historical. The AD’s compliance deadlines are absolute dates linked to the AD’s original issue in 2000, and Requirement 1’s deadline is stated as before 14 April 2001. The AD itself notes that the Amendment 1 did not change compliance dates. Operators looking at the AD today should treat these dates as indicating the period within which the actions were required to be completed. Any operator still operating an aircraft from the affected serial ranges today should verify that the requirements were in fact accomplished and recorded, because the AD’s record-based verification paths depend on historical maintenance documentation (Compliance table; Background).

• Background identifies a quality control cause. The AD explains that "an investigation revealed that the failed shear pins did not meet the design specifications due to a quality control problem." That history means the AD is addressing a manufacturing/QA defect rather than wear from normal usage, which has implications for warranty, supplier relations and parts provenance, but the AD does not lay out any mechanism for recourse against suppliers or for recovery of costs (Background).

• The AD does not stipulate alternative compliance procedures. If an operator wishes to propose an alternative method of compliance or a different technical approach, the AD contains no procedural advice on that point; operators must therefore consult CASA processes outside the AD text for any alternative approvals. The AD requires the SB methods unless otherwise approved under separate regulatory processes (Requirements; absence of alternative-method language).

The AD sets out discrete, verifiable steps for compliance tied to serial number cohorts. The following is a practical, source-grounded checklist to convert the AD’s Requirements into operational actions. Each step references the AD text and its corresponding Requirement.

1. Identify affected aircraft in your fleet.

   • Confirm whether any CL-600-2B19 aircraft you operate fall within serial numbers 7003 through 7357 (Applicability).
   • For each affected airframe, note its exact serial number. The AD treats 7143 and 7144 differently; do not assume continuous ranges without checking the AD’s splitting of the cohort.

2. For aircraft SN 7003-7142 and 7144 (Requirement 1).

   • Schedule and accomplish the installation of shear pins part number 601R24063-31/S.
   • Perform the installation "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part A of Bombardier Service Bulletin (SB) 601R-27-100, dated 22 December 1999" (Requirement 1).
   • After installation, remove TR RJ/68-1 from the AFM because "the additional first flight of the day checks ... are no longer required" (Requirement 1 and table note).
   • Ensure maintenance records are updated to show the part number installed and the SB Part A accomplishment reference.

3. For aircraft SN 7143 and 7145-7357 (Requirement 2).

   • Conduct a formal review of the aircraft maintenance logbook and records "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part B of Bombardier SB 601R-27-100" to determine if any elevator flutter damper shear pins have been replaced since delivery (Requirement 2).
   • If the records show either no replacement or replacement with P/N 601R24063-31/S, record the review outcome and no further action is required (Requirement 2).
   • If the records cannot verify the installation of P/N 601R24063-31/S, proceed to the interim and corrective steps below (Requirement 3).

4. Interim and corrective steps when records cannot verify correct parts (Requirement 3).

   • Interim AFM change: Insert a copy of TR RJ/68-1 into the Aircraft Flight Manual and advise the flight crew to carry out the additional first-flight-of-the-day elevator control checks as described in TR RJ/68-1 (Requirement 3(a)). This must be done within 30 days after 13 July 2000 per the compliance table, meaning it is an immediate interim obligation where verification fails.
   • Install replacement parts: Arrange for installation of new shear pins P/N 601R24063-31/S "in accordance with paragraph 2, Accomplishment Instructions, Part C of SB 601R-27-100" (Requirement 3(b)). After installation, the TR can be removed from the AFM, per the AD’s note.

5. Record-keeping and documentary proof.

   • For all installations, make a clear maintenance entry showing the aircraft serial number, part number installed, SB reference (Part A or Part C as applicable), date, and the certifying maintenance organisation and person.
   • For the record review, document the review method and result as per Part B of the SB, including which entries were examined and any certificates or supplier paperwork consulted.

6. Timing and scheduling.

   • Be aware of the compliance deadlines stated by the AD. Although they are historical (linked to 2000/2001 dates), operators must ensure that their records show compliance occurred by those dates or document why not. The AD lists Requirement 2 within 14 days after 13 July 2000, Requirement 3(a) within 30 days after 13 July 2000, and Requirements 1 and 3(b) before 14 April 2001 (Compliance table).
   • Where compliance was to be done historically, verify the work was completed and records retained. If the records are missing now, treat the absence as non-compliance and follow the AD’s process for verification failure (TR insertion and replacement).

7. Coordination with CASA and Bombardier.

   • Use SB 601R-27-100 paragraphs 2 Parts A, B and C exactly as the AD prescribes for technical accomplishment. If a maintenance provider believes an alternative method of compliance is justified, the AD itself does not provide the alternative approval path; operators must consult CASA for any alternative compliance approval mechanisms (Requirements; absence of alternative-method language).

8. Operational communication.

   • If TR RJ/68-1 is inserted into the AFM, formally advise flight crews about the additional first-flight checks and ensure crew training or briefings cover the required checks until the TR is removed.

9. Supplier and warranty considerations.

   • The AD’s Background attributes the issue to a supplier quality control problem. The AD does not specify recourse or cost recovery. If operators believe they have contractual or warranty claims against parts suppliers or the manufacturer, those commercial remedies lie outside the AD and must be pursued under separate contractual and legal processes.

10. Cross-reference Transport Canada actions.

• Note that the AD references Transport Canada AD CF-2000-10 and that the original installations were associated with Transport Canada AD CF-94-21R1. Operators should review those documents as part of their technical context although the AD is self-contained in its requirements.

Following these steps will allow an operator to demonstrate compliance with the AD as written: document-based verification for certain serials, interim AFM changes where verification fails, and installation of specified P/N shear pins per the SB instructions as the permanent corrective measure.