AD/PA-24/18 - Automatic Pilot - Pitch Servomotor - Modification - CANCELLED

What this does

This document cancels an old aircraft safety rule (called an Airworthiness Directive or AD) that applied to Piper PA-24 Comanche aeroplanes.

The old rule

Since 1965, owners of these aircraft were required to modify the automatic pilot's pitch servomotor (the component that controls the up-down movement of the plane) according to specific manufacturer service bulletins (Piper SB No. 224 and Mitchell SB No. A55).

What changes now

As of 23 October 2008, this modification is no longer required. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has cancelled the directive, meaning owners no longer need to perform this specific autopilot work to keep their aircraft legally compliant.

Who is affected

Owners and operators of Piper PA-24 Comanche series aircraft. This removes a maintenance burden—they can disregard the 1965 modification requirement.