alteration, relocation, or change in parts or materials in a weapons system. Formal change TDs are issued in letter-type format (hard copy). A formal change TD is identified by titles such as airframe change (AFC) or avionics change (AVC). Figure 3-3 is an example of a formal change TD. Interim Change TD. Urgency sometimes requires that change incorporations be initiated and issued immediately by naval message. An interim TD may also be transmitted through the mail, especially when drawings or diagrams are involved. An interim TD is issued when an equipment situation is critical and requires immediate dissemination. A formal TD supersedes an interim TD. An interim TD is identified by title, such as Interim Airframe Change or Interim Avionics Change. Bulletin. A bulletin is a TD that directs a onetime inspection to determine if a given condition exists and the appropriate action if the condition is found. A bulletin does not involve an alteration, addition, removal, repositioning, or change in parts or material; however, upon determination of a deficiency, elimination of the deficency may require the issuance of a formal change TD. A bulletin is normally issued in naval message format but may be issued by letter. A bulletin may also include direction for issuance of a rapid action change or for creation of a local maintenance requirement card to establish continuing inspection requirements. A bulletin is issued by title, such as Airframes Bulletin (AFB) or Avionics Bulletin (AVB). Rapid Action Minor Engineering Change (RAMEC). A RAMEC is a message-type TD that provides for an expeditious action on a minor configuration change. A RAMEC is issued in the same naval message format as a change TD (AFC or AVC). PRIORITY OF TDs TDs are categorized into four separate priority categories based on type, purpose, and urgency. The category of the directive is printed in capital letters at the top center of the first page of the directive. An immediate action TD is issued whenever an unsafe, uncorrected condition exists that could result in fatal or serious injury to personnel, or extensive damage to or destruction of valuable property. An immediate action TD usually requires the aircraft be grounded or that equipment restricted from further use until further notice or until the condition is corrected. Usually an immediate action TD requires compliance prior to the next flight or next operation of the equipment. An urgent action TD is issued whenever governing factors of combat necessity or potentially hazardous conditions exist that could result in injury to personnel, damage to property, or significant reduction in operational readiness. The condition compromises the safety risk that is calculated to be acceptable within a specified time limit. An urgent action TD is less serious than an immediate action TD. Failure to comply with the time limitation of an urgent TD dictates that aircraft be grounded, that air-launched weapon systems or ground communication equipment use be restricted, or that the use of SE, personnel equipment, material and munitions be discontinued. A routine TD is issued for a condition that has a degree of risk calculated to be acceptable within a broad time limit. A condition that is categorized by a routine TD could, if uncorrected, constitute a hazard through prolonged use, have a negative effect on operational readiness, reduce tactical use and supportability, or reduce the operational life of a system or equipment. A routine TD is only used to authorize the modification of equipment. A record purpose TD is assigned to a formal change TD to document that a configuration change was incorporated before the TD was officially issued. The primary purpose of a record purpose TD is to provide an official record of an engineering change for the Technical Directive Status Accounting (TDSA) system. UPDATING TECHNICAL DIRECTIVES There are two methods of updating TDs— amendment and revision. An amendment clarifies, corrects, adds to, deletes from, makes minor changes in requirements to, or cancels an existing TD. Amend- ments A, B, and C may be applied to a TD before it must be revised. A revision is a complete new edition of an existing change or bulletin. It supersedes the original directive or revision and existing amendments. TD COMPLETION, SUPERSEDURE, AND CANCELLATION Completion of a TD is an administrative action that enhances the management of the TD program. Cancellation is the process that removes a TD from active files after all requirements have been completed. Just because a TD may have been completed by your command, it may not necessarily mean that the TD is 3-8