[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7083-7085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3518]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 97-CE-103-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21
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 Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21 sailplanes
that have certain modifications installed. The proposed action would
require changing the sailplane flight manual's weight and balance
information. The proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing
airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority
for Germany. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to
prevent the operator from using inaccurate weight and balance
information provided in the sailplane flight manual (SFM), which, if
not corrected, could lead to hazardous flight conditions.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 16, 1998.
[[Page 7084]]
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-CE-103-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 Alexander Schleicher, Segelflugzeugbau, 6416 Poppenhausen,
Wasserkuppe, Federal Republic of Germany; telephone 49.6658.890 or
49.6658.8920; facsimile: 49.6658.8923 or 49.6658.8940. This information
also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. J. Mike Kiesov, Project Officer,
Sailplanes/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. 97-CE-103-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 Regional Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket No. 97-CE-103-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority
for the Federal Republic of Germany, recently notified the FAA that an
unsafe condition may exist on Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21
sailplanes that are equipped with certain modification provided in
Alexander Schleicher technical note (TN) 3 or TN 7. These technical
notes are optional modifications that include the procedures for
installing a removable ballast in the sailplane. The LBA reports that
the conversion of kilograms to pounds on the trim weights of the
Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21 sailplane was miscalculated at the
factory for the sailplanes with the modifications incorporated.
Therefore, the U.S.-FAA version of the trim weights information
provided in the SFM may lead to loading the sailplane outside the
center of gravity. These conditions, if not corrected, could result in
hazardous flight conditions.
Relevant Service Information
Alexander Schleicher has issued Technical Note No. 13a, dated June
4, 1984, which specifies procedures for changing the sailplane flight
manual (SFM) by removing page 2 (dated May 16, 1984) and page 13 (dated
February 16, 1984), and inserting a new page 2 and page 13, both dated
June 4, 1984.
The LBA classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
German AD 84-32/2 Schleicher, dated June 12, 1984, in order to assure
the continued airworthiness of these sailplanes in Germany.
The FAA's Determination
The Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21 sailplane 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. 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, including the service information referenced
above, and determined that AD action is necessary for products of this
type design that are certificated for operation in the United States.
Explanation of the Provisions of the Proposed AD
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21 sailplanes
of the same type design registered in the United States, the proposed
AD would require changing the SFM by removing and replacing two pages
referencing the trim weight information. Accomplishment of the proposed
installation would be in accordance with the Action section of
Alexander Schleicher Technical Note No. 13a, dated June 4, 1984.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 30 sailplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 1
workhour per sailplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. There are no parts
required for the proposed action. The proposed action 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 aircraft records showing compliance
with this AD in accordance with section 43.9 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (14 CFR 43.9). Based on these figures, there is no cost
impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators.
Regulatory Impact
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
[[Page 7085]]
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), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
(AD) to read as follows:
Alexander Schleicher: Docket No. 97-CE-103-AD.
Applicability: Model ASK-21 sailplanes, all serial numbers,
certificated in any category, that are equipped with the
modifications in Alexander Schleicher Technical Note (TN) 3 or TN 7.
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 request approval for an
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) of
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to
address it.
Compliance: Required within the next 3 calendar months after the
effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent the operator from using inaccurate weight and balance
information provided in the sailplane flight manual (SFM), which, if
not corrected, could lead to hazardous flight conditions, accomplish
the following:
(a) Remove page 2 (dated May 16, 1984) and page 13 (dated
February 16, 1984) from the Alexander Schleicher Model ASK-21 SFM,
and replace these pages with new pages 2 and 13, both dated June 4,
1984, in accordance with Alexander Schleicher ASK-21 Technical Note
No. 13a, dated June 4, 1984.
(b) Incorporating the SFM revisions, as required by 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 aircraft
records showing compliance with this AD in accordance with section
43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9).
(c) 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.
(d) 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, Aircraft
Certification Service, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri
64106. 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.
(e) Questions or technical information related to Alexander
Schleicher Technical Note No. 13a, dated June 4, 1984, should be
directed to Alexander Schleicher, Segelflugzeugbau, 6416
Poppenhausen, Wasserkuppe, Federal Republic of Germany; telephone
49.6658.890 or 49.6658.8920; facsimile: 49.6658.8923 or
49.6658.8940. This service information may be examined at the FAA,
Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E.
12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in German AD No. 84-
32/2 Schleicher, dated June 12, 1984.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 4, 1998.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3518 Filed 2-11-98; 8:45 am]
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