[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 156 (Monday, August 14, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46393-46395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13135]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24255; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-25-AD; 
Amendment 39-14720; AD 2006-16-20]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-1000S 
Sailplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all DG 
Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-1000S sailplanes. This AD requires you to 
modify the elevator control at the stabilizer assembly, replace a 
placard on the fin, and incorporate changes in the FAA-approved 
sailplane flight manual (SFM). This AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness 
authority for Germany. We are issuing this AD to prevent the rigging of 
the horizontal stabilizer without properly connecting the elevator, 
which, if not prevented, could lead to an inoperative elevator. An 
inoperative elevator could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on September 18, 2006.
    As of September 18, 2006, the Director of the Federal Register 
approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed 
in the regulation.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact DG-
Flugzeugbau, Postbox 41 20, D-76625 Bruchsal, Federal Republic of 
Germany; telephone: ++49 7257 890; facsimile: ++45 7257 8922; e-mail: 
http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de.
    To view the AD docket, go to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-001 or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is FAA-2006-24255; Directorate 
Identifier 2006-CE-25-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Davison, Glider Project 
Manager, ACE-112, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4130; facsimile: 
(816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On May 9, 2006, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that 
would apply to all DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-1000S sailplanes. This 
proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) on May 16, 2006 (71 FR 28287). The NPRM proposed to 
require you to modify the elevator control at the stabilizer assembly, 
replace a placard on the fin, and incorporate changes in the FAA-
approved SFM.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed 
except for minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these 
minor corrections:
     Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
     Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 8 sailplanes in the U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the modification and 
replacement of the placard on the fin:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Total cost per
               Labor cost                  Parts cost       sailplane         Total cost on U.S.  operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $80 per hour = $160.....             $60            $220  8 x $220 = $1,760
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do the incorporation of changes 
in the FAA-approved SFM:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Total cost per
             Labor cost                    Parts cost           sailplane       Total cost on U.S.  operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 work-hour x $80 per hour = $80...  Not applicable........             $80  8 x $80 = $640
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, Section 106 describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, 
describes in more detail the scope of the agency's authority.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, ``General 
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with 
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator 
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within 
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition 
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this AD.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that this AD will not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a 
substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between

[[Page 46394]]

the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power 
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
    3. 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.
    We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD (and 
other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and placed 
it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a 
request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket 
No. FAA-2006-24255; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-25-AD'' in your 
request.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2006-16-20 DG Flugzeugbau GMBH: Amendment 39-14720; Docket No. FAA-
2006-24255; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-25-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on September 18, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD affects all Model DG-1000S sailplanes, all serial 
numbers, that are certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for 
Germany. We are issuing this AD to prevent the rigging of the 
horizontal stabilizer without properly connecting the elevator, 
which, if not prevented, could lead to an inoperative elevator. An 
inoperative elevator could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Modify the elevator       Within the next 25    Follow DG
 control at the stabilizer     hours time-in-        Flugzeugbau GmbH
 assembly as follows:          service (TIS) after   Technical Note No.
(i) Replace the rod-end,       September 18, 2006    413/3, dated April
 part number (P/N) 5St94 (or   (the effective date   28, 2004.
 FAA-approved equivalent P/    of this AD).
 N), with a rod-end 5St94
 modified to P/N 10St97/1
 (or an FAA-approved
 equivalent P/N);.
(ii) Install deflector part
 number 10St97/2 (or an FAA-
 approved equivalent P/N);
 and.
(iii) Replace the placard on
 the fin..
(2) The parts that this AD    Not Applicable......  Not Applicable.
 requires to be replaced as
 well as those to be
 installed could have
 replacement parts approved
 under 14 CFR 21.303. Any
 such parts approved per
 this regulation and
 installed are subject to
 the actions of this AD. In
 addition, nothing in this
 AD prevents the
 installation of such
 alternatively approved
 parts provided they meet
 current airworthiness
 standards including those
 actions cited in this AD.
(3) Incorporate changes in    Within the next 25    The owner/operator
 the FAA-approved sailplane    hours TIS after the   holding at least a
 flight manual, as specified   effective date of     private pilot
 in paragraph 6a) of the       this AD.              certificate as
 Instructions section of DG                          authorized by
 Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical                          section 43.7 of the
 Note No. 413/3, dated April                         Federal Aviation
 28, 2004.                                           Regulations (14 CFR
                                                     43.7) may do the
                                                     flight manual
                                                     change requirement
                                                     of this AD. Make an
                                                     entry in the
                                                     aircraft records
                                                     showing compliance
                                                     with this portion
                                                     of the AD following
                                                     section 43.9 of the
                                                     Federal Aviation
                                                     Regulations (14 CFR
                                                     43.9).
(4) Do not install any rod    As of September 18,   Not Applicable.
 end P/N 5St94 (or FAA-        2006 (the effective
 approved equivalent P/N)      date of this AD).
 unless it is modified to DG
 Flugzeugbau GmbH rod-end P/
 N 10St97/1 (or FAA-approved
 equivalent P/N).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Standards Office, Small Airplane Directorate, 
FAA, ATTN: Gregory Davison, Glider Project Manager, ACE-112, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4130; facsimile: (816) 329-4090, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (g) German AD Number D-2004-300, dated June 15, 2004, also 
addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must do the actions required by this AD following the 
instructions in DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 413/3, dated 
April 28, 2004. The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service bulletin in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR

[[Page 46395]]

part 51. To get a copy of this service information, contact DG-
Flugzeugbau, Postbox 41 20, D-76625 Bruchsal, Federal Republic of 
Germany; telephone: ++49 7257 890; facsimile: ++45 7257 8922; e-
mail: http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de. To review copies of this service 
information, go to the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html or call (202) 741-6030. 
To view the AD docket, go to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif 
Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-001 or on the Internet 
at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is FAA-2006-24255; 
Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-25-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 4, 2006.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-13135 Filed 8-11-06; 8:45 am]
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