Is AD 03-9981 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

No — AD 03-9981 is a one-time directive. Verify it was complied with in the aircraft's records.

Airworthiness Directive 03-9981

Q: Which aircraft does AD 03-9981 apply to?

AD 03-9981 applies to Mcdonnell Douglas — models DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F, DC-10-40, DC-10-40F, MD-10-10F, MD-10-30F. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

one-time

AD 03-9981 · 2003-04-25 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F, DC-10-30F (KC10A and KDC-10), DC-10-40, DC-10-40F, MD-10-10F, MD-10-30F, MD-11, and MD-11F Airplanes

What this AD requires

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas airplane models. This action requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include new operating limitations, installing placards to advise the flightcrew of certain minimum fuel levels to be maintained in the fuel tanks, and deactivating certain auxiliary fuel tanks. For fuel tanks that are not deactivated, this AD also requires replacement of certain existing fuel boost/transfer pumps with pumps inspected--and modified, if necessary-- per certain procedures. Accomplishment of this replacement will allow operators to remove the operating limitations from the AFM, remove the placards, and reactivate the auxiliary fuel tanks (if deactivated). This action is necessary to prevent electrical arcing in the connector for a fuel boost/transfer pump, which could result in a fire or explosion of a fuel tank. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

Which aircraft AD 03-9981 applies to

MakesMcdonnell Douglas

ModelsDC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F, DC-10-40, DC-10-40F, MD-10-10F, MD-10-30F, MD-11, MD-11F

certain

Whether AD 03-9981 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.

Date — When the work was done.

Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.

Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.

Is AD 03-9981 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.