[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 179 (Friday, September 15, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47899-47900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22922]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 93-CE-02-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Glasflugel, Model Mosquito Sailplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD) that would apply to Glasflugel, model Mosquito sailplanes. The
proposed action would require modifying the mounting studs on the
lifting/tilting frame of the canopy system, repetitively inspecting the
mounting stud, and incorporating flight manual revisions that specify a
warning on emergency canopy deployment failure. Canopy system problems
discovered during routine checks and periodic inspections of these
sailplanes prompted the proposed action. The actions specified in this
proposed AD are intended to prevent canopy system failure, which could
result in loss of control of the sailplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 17, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 93-CE-02-AD, Room 1558, 601 E.
12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may be inspected at
this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
holidays excepted.
Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained
from Glasflugel, c/o Hansjorg Streifeneder, Glasfer-Flugzeug Service,
Hofener Weg, D 72582 Grabenstetten, Germany, telephone number
49.73.82.10.32. This information also may be examined at the Rules
Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Herman C. Belderok, Project
Officer, Gliders, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106;
telephone (816) 426-6932; facsimile (816) 426-2169.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned
with the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket No. 93-CE-02-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 93-CE-02-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority
for Germany, recently notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may
exist on certain Glasflugel mode Mosquito sailplanes. The LBA reports:
(1) considerable wear to the mounting studs on the canopy lifting/
tilting frame caused by the guide bracket on either side of the
fuselage; and (2) possible emergency deployment failure of the canopy
caused by the ``Pip'' pin not being engaged.
Glasflugel has issued the following Technical Note (TN) 303-18,
dated March 1, 1991, which specifies repetitively inspecting the
mounting studs on the canopy lifting/tilting frame for wear caused by
the guide bracket on either side of the fuselage and modifying the
mounting studs if they are less than a specified diameter.
Glasflugel also issued Technical Note 303-9, dated June 22, 1979,
which specifies incorporating a flight manual revision to include a
warning regarding the emergency canopy deployment system.
In order to assure the continued airworthiness of these sailplanes
in Germany, the LBA classified the above-referenced technical notes as
mandatory, and also issued LBA AD 91-111. The LBA classifying a
technical note as mandatory is the same for sailplanes registered in
Germany as the FAA issuing an AD for sailplanes registered in the
United States.
This sailplane model is manufactured in Germany and is type
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement between Germany and
the United States. Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement,
the LBA has kept the FAA informed of the situation described above. The
FAA has examined the findings of the LBA, reviewed all available
information, and determined that AD action is necessary for products of
this type design that are certificated for operation in the United
States.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Glasflugel Mosquito sailplanes of the same
type design, the proposed AD would require the following:
Within the next 30 calendar days, after the effective date
of this AD, inspect the mounting studs on the canopy lifting/tilting
frame for wear, repetitively inspecting the mounting
[[Page 47900]]
stud every 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) thereafter,
Measure the diameter of the mounting stud and if it is
less than 5 mm (0.2 inch) increase the diameter to 6 mm (0.24 inch) in
accordance with the procedure described in Glasflugel Technical Note
(TN) 303-18, dated March 1, 1991,
Incorporate a change to the Mosquito flight manual on page
19, paragraph 3.3 by inserting the following language in accordance
with Glasflugal TN 303-9, dated June 22, 1979:
Whenever the canopy emergency jettison knob is pulled and prior
to each flight, if no locking thread is used, it should be ensured
that the Pip pines are fully pushed home, so that the locking balls
are clear of and behind their fittings.
Initially, the compliance time of the proposed AD is in calendar
time instead of hours time-in-service (TIS). The average monthly usage
of the affected sailplanes ranges throughout the fleet. For example,
one owner may operate the sailplane 25 hours in one week, while another
operator may operate the sailplane 25 hours in one year. For this
reason, the FAA has determined that, in order to ensure that all of the
owners/operators of the affected sailplanes initially inspect the
canopy system and incorporate the flight manual revisions within a
reasonable amount of time, a calendar compliance time is proposed.
The FAA estimates that 40 sailplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 2
workhours per sailplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost
approximately $10 per sailplane. Based on these figures, the total cost
impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $5,200.
This figure is based on the assumption that no affected owner/operator
of the affected sailplanes has incorporated the proposed modification
or accomplished the proposed inspection.
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct
effects on the States, on the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various levels of government. Therefore, in
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this
proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is
not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866;
(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if promulgated,
will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act. A copy of the draft regulatory evaluation
prepared for this action has been placed in the Rules Docket. A copy of
it may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location
provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as
follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g); 40101, 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
Glasflugel: Docket No. 93-CE-02-AD.
Applicability; Model Mosquito Sailplanes (all serial numbers).
Note 1: This AD applies to each sailplane identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For sailplanes that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority
provided in paragraph (e) of this AD to request approval from the
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair
remove any sailplane from the applicability of this AD.
Compliance: Required initially within the next 30 calendar days
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished,
and repetitively inspect thereafter as indicated in the body of this
AD.
To prevent canopy frame failure and emergency canopy deployment
failure, which could result in loss of control of the sailplane,
accomplish the following:
(a) Inspect the mounting studs on the canopy lifting/tilting
frame for evidence of wear and diameter specifications in accordance
with the recommendation in Glasflugel TN 303-18, dated March 1,
1991.
(1) If the mounting stud is worn or the diameter measures less
than 5 mm (0.2 inch), prior to further flight, increase the diameter
to 6 mm (0.24 inch) in accordance with the procedure described in
Glasflugel Technical Note (TN) 303-18, dated March 1, 1991.
(2) Repeat the inspection specified in paragraph (a) of this AD
and increase the diameter as necessary at intervals not to exceed
100 hours time-in-service (TIS).
(b) Incorporate the following language on page 19, paragraph 3.3
of the Mosquito flight manual in accordance with Glasflugel TN 303-
9, dated June 22, 1979:
Whenever the canopy emergency jettison knob is pulled and prior
to each flight, if no locking thread is used, it should be ensured
that the Pip pins are fully pushed home, so that the locking balls
are clear of and behind their fittings.
(c) Incorporating the flight manual revision as required by
paragraph (b) of this AD may be performed by the owner/operator
holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by
section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7), and
must be entered into the sailplane's records showing compliance with
this AD in accordance with section 43.11 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (14 CFR 43.11).
(d) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the sailplane to a location where
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
(e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be
approved by the Manager, Small Airplane Directorate. The request
shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector,
who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Small Airplane
Directorate.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Small Airplane Directorate.
(f) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the documents referred to herein upon request to Glasflugel, c/o
Hansjorg Streifeneder, Glasfaser-Flugzeug Service, Hofener Weg, D
72582 Grabenstetten, Germany, or may examine these documents at the
FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room
1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 7, 1995.
Gerald W. Pierce,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-22922 Filed 9-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M