AD/P68/17 Amdt 2 - Flap Actuator Switch - Inspection and Replacement

The instrument rests on a small set of precise technical and administrative concepts, each carrying concrete operational consequences:

• Applicability by serial number: The AD applies to "All models with serial number up to 255" but then lists specific serial numbers excluded from the applicability (220, 224, 227, 228, 234, 235, 236, 239, 249, 251, 252, 253 and 254). That establishes a defined population of aircraft to which the requirements apply and excludes specific airframes within the numeric range (Applicability).

• Part number identification as a compliance gate: Compliance starts with an inspection to identify the installed switch part number. The AD treats a particular part number as compliant (7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5)), plus two installation-based equivalences , an installation per a Forrestair drawing (EDS 140) and installations previously approved by the Secretary or CASA under earlier ADs (Requirement 1). The inspection is therefore both a physical check and a verification step against approved installations.

• Replacement specification and method: If the installed part is not among the accepted items, the aircraft must be modified by replacing the switch with "Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5) in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982" (Requirement 2). The AD thus ties the mandated modification to an existing Partenavia Service Bulletin rather than specifying an independent set of installation steps.

• Compliance windows measured in hours time in service: The AD prescribes time-in-service thresholds for completing the inspection (100 hours TIS) and, if necessary, the replacement (200 hours TIS), both calculated "after 28 August 2008" (Compliance). Those are operationally measured triggers rather than calendar deadlines.

• Recognition of previously approved alternatives: Requirement 1(c) accepts switch installations "approved by the Secretary or CASA for the purpose of AD/P68/17A or AD/P68/17 Amdt 1" as compliant, incorporating certain prior approvals into the current AD's compliance envelope.

• Cross-reference to foreign directives and earlier instruments: The Note cites "RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22" and the Background traces a chain of prior ADs (AD/P68/9, AD/P68/17, AD/P68/17 Amdt 1), and earlier Partenavia Service Bulletins (SB Nos 33, 46, and 55). The AD expressly states that Amendment 2 "should be amended to match the Italian AD" as the rationale for alignment (Background).

These concepts create operational requirements for aircraft operators and maintainers: determine whether an aeroplane falls within the applicability envelope; schedule and perform the specified inspection within the 100-hour TIS window; if needed, carry out replacement per SB No. 55 within 200 hours TIS; and document compliance. The AD converts a particular component risk (electrical adequacy issues with previous switches, as described in Background) into mandatory fleet-level inspections and standardised replacement where necessary.

The text identifies a narrow but concrete set of affected parties:

• Aircraft operators and owners of Partenavia P68 series aeroplanes with serial numbers up to 255, excepting the specifically listed serials (220, 224, 227, 228, 234, 235, 236, 239, 249, 251, 252, 253 and 254). The Applicability clause explicitly delimits the aircraft population to which the AD applies.

• Maintenance organisations and licensed maintenance personnel who must carry out the inspection and the replacement in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982. Requirement 2 obliges removal and replacement "in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55", therefore the maintainers are the executing agents for the mandated work.

• Suppliers/manufacturers of the specified switch, notably providers of Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5). Requirement 2 mandates procurement and installation of that specific part where replacement is required.

• Regulatory authorities and their delegates: the AD was issued by a CASA delegate (James Coyne) and explicitly notes previous approvals by "the Secretary or CASA" as acceptable under Requirement 1(c). The document therefore implicates the offices responsible for earlier approvals and those who may have to confirm whether a given installation was previously approved.

• Parties responsible for aircraft maintenance records and airworthiness compliance documentation: operators must record the inspection outcomes and any replacement work to demonstrate compliance within the prescribed hours-in-service windows.

The instrument does not list passengers, insurers, or third parties explicitly. It does not specify costs, but the nature of the requirements implies that operators must schedule aircraft downtime, perform inspections, and procure and install replacement parts where necessary. The Background section signals that the directive responds to a history of parts and service bulletin changes; that matters to operators who may have previously complied with earlier service bulletins or ADs and need to reconcile those actions with the present AD (Background, Requirement 1(c)).

Duties set by the AD are precise and limited to the inspection, the determination of part number or approved installation, and replacement where required:

• Duty to inspect: Requirement 1 requires an inspection "to determine the Part Number of the switch." That inspection must be completed "within 100 hours time in service after 28 August 2008" (Requirement 1; Compliance). This duty is the initial compliance trigger.

• Conditional cessation of duties: If, upon inspection, the switch installed is Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5), or the switch installation is per Drawing No. EDS 140 supplied by Forrestair, or the installation was previously approved by the Secretary or CASA for the relevant earlier ADs, then "no further action is required by this AD" (Requirement 1). Those three conditions function as compliance exemptions within the AD.

• Duty to replace non-compliant switches: Requirement 2 imposes a duty to remove and replace "Part Number NOR 7-345-1/M or any other switch not listed in Requirement 1" with "Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5) in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982." That replacement must be completed "within 200 hours time in service after 28 August 2008" (Requirement 2; Compliance). The AD therefore prescribes a specific part number as the substitute and ties the method and process to a prescribed Service Bulletin.

• Right to rely on listed approvals and installations: The AD explicitly recognises certain prior approvals and particular installation drawings as satisfying the AD. That gives operators a right to avoid replacement if those conditions hold, provided they can demonstrate the inspection results and the prior approval or conformity to the drawing.

• Right to the cited Service Bulletin as method: The AD directs replacement "in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982." Where replacement is required, the Service Bulletin is the authorised method for performing the installation.

• Effective date and compliance clock: The AD makes clear the operative start date for measuring the hours-in-service compliance windows: "after 28 August 2008" (Compliance). Operators therefore must calculate the 100-hour and 200-hour windows from that effective date.

The AD does not create any expressed discretionary exemptions besides the listed approved installations. It does not, within its text, provide an appeal mechanism, specify documentation format, or set out who must certify the work; those matters are outside the instrument's explicit content. The AD does, however, accept earlier approvals by "the Secretary or CASA" as fulfilling the AD's acceptance conditions (Requirement 1(c)), so operators with such approvals can assert conformity without undertaking replacement.

The text of this AD contains mandatory actions and compliance timeframes but does not itself set out penalties, sanctions, or detailed enforcement procedures. The instrument, as presented, includes the delegate's signature and an effective date ("This Amendment becomes effective on 28 August 2008" and "James Coyne Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 17 July 2008"), yet it does not specify enforcement mechanisms or pecuniary penalties within its body.

From the document itself the following factual points about enforcement are ascertainable:

• The AD prescribes mandatory maintenance actions and sets compliance deadlines measured in hours time in service (Compliance). Those prescriptive elements indicate obligations for affected operators and maintainers.

• The AD recognises prior approvals by "the Secretary or CASA" as satisfying the acceptance conditions (Requirement 1(c)). That recognition allocates a role to those administrative offices in determining whether an installation is acceptable, implying that such approvals are relevant to an enforcement determination.

• The instrument cites related foreign directives (RAI AD and FAA AD references) and a Partenavia Service Bulletin as the required installation instruction (Requirement 2 and Note). Compliance hinges on following the specified technical document (Partenavia SB No. 55 dated 2 September 1982).

What the AD does not state in its text:

• It does not state what penalties will attach if an operator fails to comply with the inspection or replacement requirements within the stated hours-in-service windows.

• It does not set out inspection, certification, or record-keeping formats, nor the authority that will monitor compliance.

Given the absence of explicit enforcement or penalty provisions in the text provided, a reader must not infer detailed enforcement mechanics from this AD alone. The AD mandates actions and timeframes; it records the issuing authority and recognises certain prior approvals. Any enforcement procedures, sanctions, or administrative processes that may apply in practice are not set out within the instrument's text and therefore are not reliably attributable to this document.

The AD explicitly cross-references earlier ADs, foreign directives, and service bulletins, thereby situating itself within a chain of airworthiness directions and maintenance instructions:

• Relationship to earlier Australian ADs: The Background recounts that "AD/P68/9 mandated removal of switch NOR 7.345-1 and replacement by 7.345-1/M ... AD/P68/17 superseded AD/P68/9 and mandated installation of switch 7.345-4 ... [and] in 1980 AD/P68/17 was amended to mandate removal and replacement with 7.345-1/M or an approved alternative. In 1982 Partenavia issued SB No. 55 superseding SB Nos 33 and 46 and specifying a new switch 7.2345D-1. The Italian RAI mandated SB No. 55 in AD 82-206. A review of AD/P68/17 Amdt 1 in 2008 determined that it should be amended to match the Italian AD" (Background). The instrument therefore functions as an amendment within a sequence of Australian ADs and aligns Australian requirements with the Italian AD.

• Interaction with foreign directives: The AD contains an explicit Note that "RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22 refer" (Requirement Note). The Background also indicates that the Italian regulator (RAI) had mandated the Service Bulletin No. 55 and that the present amendment "should be amended to match the Italian AD" (Background). The AD therefore references equivalent or related foreign regulatory instruments as part of its rationale and technical lineage.

• Interaction with manufacturer-issued Service Bulletins: The AD specifies that replacement work must be done "in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982" (Requirement 2). It also notes that SB No. 55 superseded earlier SB Nos 33 and 46 (Background). The AD thus incorporates a manufacturer service bulletin by reference as the technical method for compliance, and recognises the supersession of earlier service instructions.

• Recognition of prior regulatory approvals: Requirement 1(c) accepts installations "approved by the Secretary or CASA for the purpose of AD/P68/17A or AD/P68/17 Amdt 1." That clause integrates prior administrative approvals into the AD's compliance framework, meaning that the AD does not automatically nullify earlier approvals granted under previous ADs.

The text does not explicitly state how conflicts between the AD and other legal instruments are to be resolved, nor does it lay out procedural mechanisms for coordination among regulators. It does, however, evidence deliberate alignment with the Italian AD and references to FAA ADs, and it incorporates Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 as the prescribed technical means of compliance. Therefore, operators must reconcile their prior compliance with earlier ADs and service bulletins against the present AD's specified accepted part number and installation criteria.

The AD text contains a short, explicit history of prior directives and service bulletins that lead to this amendment:

• AD/P68/9: According to the Background, AD/P68/9 initially "mandated removal of switch NOR 7.345-1 and replacement by 7.345-1/M in accordance with SB No. 33." That represents an earlier iteration addressing a particular switch part.

• AD/P68/17: That AD "superseded AD/P68/9 and mandated installation of switch 7.345-4 in accordance with SB No. 46." AD/P68/17 therefore replaced the earlier directive and changed the required replacement switch and service instruction.

• AD/P68/17 Amdt 1 (1980s period): The Background reports that "This latter switch [7.345-4] proved to be electrically inadequate so in 1980 AD/P68/17 was amended to mandate removal and replacement with 7.345-1/M or an approved alternative." That amendment reversed the earlier mandated switch and introduced acceptance of approved alternatives.

• Partenavia Service Bulletin evolution: Partenavia subsequently issued "SB No. 55 superseding SB Nos 33 and 46 and specifying a new switch 7.2345D-1" in 1982. The Italian regulator (RAI) mandated SB No. 55 in "AD 82-206" (Background).

• AD/P68/17 Amdt 2 (this instrument): The present amendment was issued in 2008 following a review which "determined that it should be amended to match the Italian AD" (Background). The AD sets the effective date as "28 August 2008" and prescribes the inspection/replacement requirements tied to SB No. 55.

The amendment history in the document therefore traces a technical progression: original mandated part (NOR 7.345-1) → mandated replacement part (7.345-1/M) → new mandated part (7.345-4) → reversion to 7.345-1/M or approved alternatives → manufacturer SB No. 55 introducing 7.2345D-1 → the present amendment aligning with the Italian AD to require or accept 7.2345D-1 installations. The document records that SB No. 55 superseded SB Nos 33 and 46 and that the Italian authority adopted SB No. 55 into its AD. The present amendment explicitly adjusts the Australian AD to be consistent with the Italian AD in effect since 1982 (Background).

The AD also contains a short note that "RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22 refer" (Requirement Note), indicating that other regulators have related directives in this area, and that the Australian AD lineage has been influenced by foreign regulatory decisions and the manufacturer’s revised service instruction.

The document provided contains no record of litigation, court decisions, administrative appeals, or legal challenges relating to AD/P68/17 or its amendments. The instrument includes Background material tracing regulatory and manufacturer actions and references foreign ADs, but it does not record any litigation history or contested proceedings. The only signatory and administrative attribution in the text is the delegate of CASA, James Coyne, dated 17 July 2008.

Because the instrument does not include any litigation material, the following are the only reliable statements that can be made from the source:

• The AD itself does not record any judicial or administrative proceedings pertaining to its content. There are no mentions within the text of appeals, injunctions, or legal disputes.

• The Background references foreign ADs (RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22) and earlier Australian ADs, but does not annotate any of those references with litigation outcomes.

• The document does not identify any tribunal or court determinations that interpreted, affirmed, or set aside the AD or its predecessors.

In short, as to litigation history, the instrument is silent. The absence of litigation references in the AD text means that any enquiry into judicial or administrative challenges, or into how courts or tribunals have treated these particular ADs, cannot be answered from this document alone.

The AD contains several small details and potential pitfalls for operators and maintainers that could lead to misinterpretation or non-compliance unless attention is paid to the exact wording and cross-references:

• Narrow applicability language and excluded serial numbers: The Applicability clause covers "All models with serial number up to 255" but then explicitly excludes a list of serial numbers. Operators must not treat the "up to 255" phrase as a blanket applicability; they must check the specific serial number against the exclusion list provided. Missing or misreading any excluded serial number (a dozen specific numbers are listed) could lead to unnecessary work or, conversely, failure to comply when required.

• Exact part-number string matching: The AD accepts "Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5)" as compliant. It rejects "Part Number NOR 7-345-1/M or any other switch not listed in Requirement 1" (Requirement 2). Slight differences in part-number formatting, punctuation, or typographical variants could cause confusion. Operators should rely on physical part-number markings and authoritative part-number lists, and not on partial or approximate matches.

• Recognised alternative installations are installation-specific rather than part-number specific: One of the acceptances is "Switch installation in accordance with Drawing No. EDS 140 supplied by Forrestair" (Requirement 1(b)). That clause refers to an installation drawing, not a specific replacement part number. An installation that meets the Forrestair drawing is acceptable even if the part number differs, provided the installation conforms. Practically, operators must locate and compare the installation to Drawing No. EDS 140 to rely on that acceptance.

• Prior approvals carry forward only if granted for the specific earlier ADs: Requirement 1(c) accepts "Switch installation approved by the Secretary or CASA for the purpose of AD/P68/17A or AD/P68/17 Amdt 1." That acceptance is tied to approvals granted under those historical ADs. Approvals given for other purposes or under different ADs may not be captured. Operators must verify the scope and provenance of any prior approval claims.

• Compliance timeframes measured from the effective date, not from signature date: The AD was signed on 17 July 2008, but it states that "This Amendment becomes effective on 28 August 2008" and the compliance windows are "after 28 August 2008" (Compliance). The practical compliance clocks (100 and 200 hours TIS) begin after 28 August 2008, not the signature date. Miscomputing the start date could create apparent non-compliance.

• Service Bulletin reliance: Requirement 2 requires replacement "in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982." The AD does not reproduce the Service Bulletin; operators must obtain SB No. 55 to perform the mandated work properly. Availability of that 1982 bulletin, and whether later revisions exist, may affect how the replacement is performed and documented.

• Reference to foreign ADs is informational: The Note refers to "RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22." Those references are informative but the AD does not itself import additional technical requirements from those documents beyond the alignment stated in the Background. Operators should check whether there are parallel obligations under those foreign ADs if operating under, or selling aircraft to, jurisdictions influenced by those regulators.

• Typographical and formatting artifacts in the text: The instrument contains repeated headings and some run-together words in the provided text (for example, "Inspectionand" and duplicated headings). Those textual artifacts do not alter the substantive requirements set out under the "Requirement" and "Compliance" lines, but they indicate the need to base compliance on the substantive clauses rather than on typographical presentation.

• No penalties or enforcement detail in the text: The AD prescribes actions and timescales but does not set out penalties or monitoring mechanisms. Operators should not assume that the AD contains procedural advice about certification of completed work or the record-keeping format required by CASA; those procedural matters will be governed by separate regulatory or administrative practice not specified within this AD.

Careful attention to these details will reduce the risk that an operator either performs unnecessary replacement work or fails to perform the mandated inspection and replacement within the stated windows.

The AD prescribes a modest, two-step compliance pathway. The following practical steps, drawn directly from the AD text, set out a compliance checklist operators and maintainers should follow:

1. Confirm applicability:

   • Determine the aircraft serial number. The AD applies to "All models with serial number up to 255" except for the listed serial numbers (220, 224, 227, 228, 234, 235, 236, 239, 249, 251, 252, 253 and 254) (Applicability). If the aircraft's serial number is excluded, the AD does not apply.

2. Calculate compliance windows:

   • Note the AD's effective date: "This Amendment becomes effective on 28 August 2008" (Compliance).
   • For Requirement 1, schedule and perform the inspection "within 100 hours time in service after 28 August 2008" (Requirement 1; Compliance).
   • For Requirement 2, if replacement is required, ensure work is completed "within 200 hours time in service after 28 August 2008" (Requirement 2; Compliance).

3. Conduct the inspection:

   • Inspect the flap actuator switch to determine the Part Number, as required by Requirement 1: "Inspect the flap actuator switch to determine the Part Number of the switch" (Requirement 1). Record the physical part number and any associated installation documentation.

4. Evaluate inspection outcome against three acceptance criteria:

   • If the installed switch is "Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5)", no further action under this AD is required (Requirement 1(a)).
   • If the installation is "in accordance with Drawing No. EDS 140 supplied by Forrestair", no further action is required (Requirement 1(b)). Maintain evidence of conformity to Drawing EDS 140.
   • If the installation "was approved by the Secretary or CASA for the purpose of AD/P68/17A or AD/P68/17 Amdt 1", no further action is required (Requirement 1(c)). Maintain documentation of the approval and ensure it expressly covers the given installation.

5. If the inspection finds a non-compliant switch:

   • If the installed switch is "Part Number NOR 7-345-1/M or any other switch not listed in Requirement 1", remove that switch and replace it with "Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5)" (Requirement 2).
   • Perform the replacement strictly "in accordance with Partenavia Service Bulletin No. 55 dated 2 September 1982" (Requirement 2). Obtain SB No. 55 and follow its procedures for removal/installation, torque settings, wiring, testing, and any post-installation checks specified there.
   • Complete the replacement within the compliance window of "200 hours time in service after 28 August 2008."

6. Documentation and record-keeping:

   • Record the inspection findings, including the part number observed, the date and aircraft hours at the time of inspection, and the identity of the person or organisation performing the inspection.
   • If replacement is performed, document the parts installed (including the part number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5)), reference the Partenavia SB No. 55 installation work order, and record the date and aircraft hours at the time of replacement.
   • Retain any approvals relied upon under Requirement 1(c) or evidence of conformity with Drawing No. EDS 140.

7. Liaise with regulatory authority if uncertain:

   • If there is uncertainty about whether a given installation was previously "approved by the Secretary or CASA for the purpose of AD/P68/17A or AD/P68/17 Amdt 1", seek confirmation from the relevant regulatory office. The AD expressly recognises those approvals as acceptable (Requirement 1(c)).

8. Consider supply and maintenance scheduling:

   • Where replacement is likely, secure availability of Part Number 7.2345D-1 (MS 25201-5) and schedule maintenance so the work can be completed within the 200-hour TIS window. Because the AD ties the replacement to SB No. 55, ensure the maintenance organisation is familiar with and able to perform the SB procedures.

9. Maintain awareness of related documents:

   • The AD references "RAI AD 82-206/P68-15 Rev 2 and FAA AD 83-07-22" (Requirement Note). Operators with multinational operations, or who have Aircraft certificates influenced by those authorities, should consider whether there are related requirements or notifications under those foreign ADs.

10. Verify no further action required after inspection or replacement:

• If inspection yields one of the acceptance criteria in Requirement 1, no further action is required under this AD.
• If replacement is completed per SB No. 55 and the required part number is installed, document completion and no further action is required under this AD.

The AD provides a narrow technical compliance pathway: inspect; determine whether installed part or installation is acceptable; if not, replace with the specified part per SB No. 55; complete actions within the hours-in-service windows measured from 28 August 2008. Operators should ensure that the inspection and any replacement work are performed and documented by appropriately qualified maintenance personnel in accordance with the referenced Service Bulletin.