[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50383-50386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19570]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Model S10-VT 
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 certain Stemme GmbH & Co. KG (Stemme) Model 
S10-VT sailplanes. This proposed AD would require you to modify the 
engine compartment fuel and oil system and firewall. This

[[Page 50384]]

proposed AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. 
The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to reduce the 
potential for a fire to ignite in the engine compartment and increase 
the containment of an engine fire in the engine compartment. A fire in 
the engine compartment could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

DATES: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive any 
comments on this proposed rule on or before September 3, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to FAA, Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. You may view any 
comments at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    You may also send comments electronically to the following address: 
[email protected]. Comments sent electronically must contain 
``Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD'' in the subject line. If you send comments 
electronically as attached electronic files, the files must be 
formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows or ASCII text.
    You may get service information that applies to this proposed AD 
from Stemme GmbH & Co. KG, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, D-13355 Berlin, 
Germany; telephone: 49.33.41.31.11.70; facsimile: 49.33.41.31.11.73. 
You may also view this information at the Rules Docket at the address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Kiesov, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4144; facsimile: (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

How Do I Comment on This Proposed AD?

    The FAA invites comments on this proposed rule. You may submit 
whatever written data, views, or arguments you choose. You need to 
include the rule's docket number and submit your comments to the 
address specified under the caption ADDRESSES. We will consider all 
comments received on or before the closing date. We may amend this 
proposed rule in light of comments received. Factual information that 
supports your ideas and suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating 
the effectiveness of this proposed AD action and determining whether we 
need to take additional rulemaking action.

Are There Any Specific Portions of This Proposed AD I Should Pay 
Attention To?

    The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed rule that 
might suggest a need to modify the rule. You may view all comments we 
receive before and after the closing date of the rule in the Rules 
Docket. We will file a report in the Rules Docket that summarizes each 
contact we have with the public that concerns the substantive parts of 
this proposed AD.

How Can I Be Sure FAA Receives My Comment?

    If you want FAA to acknowledge the receipt of your mailed comments, 
you must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. On the postcard, 
write ``Comments to Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD.'' We will date stamp and 
mail the postcard back to you.

Discussion

What Events Have Cauaused This Proposed AD?

    The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority 
for Germany, recently notified FAA that an unsafe condition may exist 
on certain Stemme Model S10-VT sailplanes. The LBA reports an incident 
of an in-flight fire on a Model S10-VT sailplane. The accident 
investigation revealed that the fire was not contained in the engine 
compartment. The manufacturer conducted a design review and determined 
that modifications to the fuel and oil system and the firewall design 
will significantly reduce the potential for a fire to ignite in the 
engine compartment and increase the containment of an engine fire in 
the engine compartment.

What Are the Consequences if the Condition Is Not Corrected?

    If this condition is not corrected, there is potential for a fire 
to ignite in the engine compartment and spread into the cockpit. Such a 
condition could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

Is There Service Information That Applies to This Subject?

    Stemme has issued Service Bulletin Document Number A31-10-057, 
dated June 7, 2001, Service Bulletin Document Number A31-10-061, dated 
April 22, 2002, and Installation Instruction Document Number A34-10-
061E, dated April 22, 2002.

What Are the Provisions of This Service Information?

    These service documents include procedures for:

--Modifying the engine compartment fuel and oil system; and
--Modifying the firewall by sealing all gaps.

What Action Did the LBA Take?

    The LBA classified this service information as mandatory and issued 
German AD 2002-156, dated June 13, 2002, in order to ensure the 
continued airworthiness of these sailplanes in Germany.

Was This in Accordance With the Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement?

    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.
    Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the LBA has 
kept FAA informed of the situation described above.

The FAA's Determination and an Explanation of the Provisions of This 
Proposed AD What Has FAA Decided?

    The FAA has examined the findings of the LBA; reviewed all 
available information, including the service information referenced 
above; and determined that:

--The unsafe condition referenced in this document exists or could 
develop on other Stemme Model S10-VT sailplanes of the same type design 
that are on the U.S. registry;
--The actions specified in the previously-referenced service 
information should be accomplished on the affected sailplanes; and
--AD action should be taken in order to correct this unsafe condition.

What Would This Proposed AD Require?

    This proposed AD would require you to incorporate the actions in 
the previously-referenced service bulletins.

Cost Impact

How Many Sailplanes Would This Proposed AD Impact?

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 41 sailplanes in the U.S. 
registry.

What Would Be the Cost Impact of This Proposed AD on Owners/Operators 
of the Affected Sailplanes?

    We estimate the following costs to accomplish the proposed 
modifications:

[[Page 50385]]



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                                                      Total cost per
              Labor cost                 Parts cost      sailplane      Total cost on U.S.  operators Sailplane
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10 workhours  x  $60 per hour = $600..       $620.           $1,220.   $1,220  x  41 = $50,020.
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Compliance Time of this Proposed AD

What Would Be the Compliance Time of This Proposed AD?

    The compliance time of this proposed AD is ``within the next 50 
hours time-in-service (TIS) or 3 months after the effective date of 
this AD, whichever occurs first.''

Why Is the Compliance Time of This Proposed AD Presented in Both Hours 
TIS and Calendar Time?

    The unsafe condition on these sailplanes is not a result of the 
number of times the sailplane is operated. Sailplane operation varies 
among operators. For example, one operator may operate the sailplane 50 
hours TIS in 3 months while it may take another operator 12 months or 
more to accumulate 50 hours TIS. For this reason, the FAA has 
determined that the compliance time of this proposed AD should be 
specified in both hours time-in-service (TIS) and calendar time in 
order to ensure this condition is not allowed to go uncorrected over 
time.

Regulatory Impact

Would This Proposed AD Impact Various Entities?

    The regulations proposed herein would not have a substantial direct 
effect 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, it 
is determined that this proposed rule would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132.

Would This Proposed AD Involve a Significant Rule or Regulatory Action?

    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
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, under 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. FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) to read as follows:

Stemme GMBH & Co. KG: Docket No. 2002-CE-29-AD

    (a) What sailplanes are affected by this AD? This AD affects 
Model S10-VT sailplanes, serial numbers 11-002 through 11-072, that 
are certificated in any category.
    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate 
any of the sailplanes identified in paragraph (a) of this AD must 
comply with this AD.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The actions specified by 
this AD are intended to reduce the potential for a fire to ignite in 
the engine compartment and increase the containment of an engine 
fire in the engine compartment. A fire in the engine compartment 
could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.
    (d) What actions must I accomplish to address this problem? To 
address this problem, you must accomplish the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
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Modify the firewall by        Within the next 50    Modify the firewall
 sealing all gaps and modify   hours time-in-        in accordance with
 the fuel and oil lines in     service (TIS) or 3    Stemme Service
 the engine compartment.       months after the      Bulletin A31-10-
                               effective date of     057, dated June 7,
                               this AD, whichever    2001, as specified
                               occurs first.         in Stemme Service
                                                     Bulletin A31-10-
                                                     061, dated April
                                                     22, 2002. Modify
                                                     the fuel and oil
                                                     lines in accordance
                                                     with Stemme Service
                                                     Bulletin A31-10-
                                                     061, dated April
                                                     22, 2002, and
                                                     Stemme Installation
                                                     Instruction A34-10-
                                                     061E, dated April
                                                     22, 2002.
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    (e) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? You may use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time if:
    (1) Your alternative method of compliance provides an equivalent 
level of safety; and
    (2) The Standards Office Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 
approves your alternative. Submit your request through an FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send 
it to the Standards Office Manager.

    Note 1: This AD applies to each sailplane identified in 
paragraph (a) of this AD, 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 (e) 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 you have not eliminated the unsafe 
condition, specific actions you propose to address it.

    (f) Where can I get information about any already-approved 
alternative methods of compliance? Contact Mike Kiesov, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4144; facsimile: 
(816) 329-4090.
    (g) What if I need to fly the sailplane to another location to 
comply with this AD? The FAA can issue a special flight permit under 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate your sailplane to a location where 
you can accomplish the requirements of this AD.
    (h) How do I get copies of the documents referenced in this AD? 
You may get copies of the documents referenced in this AD from

[[Page 50386]]

Stemme GmbH & Co. KG, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, D-13355 Berlin, 
Germany; telephone: 49.33.41.31.11.70; facsimile: 49.33.41.31.11.73. 
You may view these documents at FAA, Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

    Note 2: The subject of this AD is addressed in German AD 2002-
156, dated June 13, 2002.


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 25, 2002.
James E. Jackson,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 02-19570 Filed 8-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P