[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71359-71361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29027]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1250; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-043-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Gliders

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for DG 
Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-1000T gliders equipped with Solo Kleinmotoren 
Model 2350 C engines. This proposed AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation 
authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe 
condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 
condition as a material defect of the propeller shaft, most likely 
caused by a manufacturing error. We are issuing this proposed AD to 
require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 14, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH, Postfach 60 01 52, D 71050 Sindelfingen, 
Germany; telephone: +49 07031-301-0; fax: +49 07031-301-136; email: 
germany.com">aircraft@solo-germany.com; Internet: http://aircraft.solo-online.com/. 
You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, 
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
(816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2012-1250; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-043-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued AD 
No.: 2012-0197, dated September 25, 2012 (referred to after this as 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    Two reports have been received of a broken P/N 20 31 211 
propeller shaft on a Solo 2350 C engine. The results of the 
investigation showed that the failures were due to a material 
defect, most likely caused by a manufacturing error.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of the shaft and detachment of the propeller from the 
aeroplane, which, depending on the flight conditions, could result 
in reduced control of the aeroplane, or injury to persons on the 
ground.
    For the reasons described above, this AD requires a one-time 
inspection (magnetic particle or dye penetrant) of the affected 
propeller shafts to detect cracks and, depending on findings, 
replacement of the propeller pulley assembly (module) with a 
serviceable module.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH has issued Service Bulletin Nr. 4603-13, 
Issue 1, dated September 24, 2012. The actions described in this 
service information are intended to correct the unsafe condition 
identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they 
have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because 
we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists 
and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type 
design.

[[Page 71360]]

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 2 products of U.S. 
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 1 work-hour per 
product to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The 
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost 
about $0 per product.
    Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $170, or $85 per product.
    In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would 
take about 1 work-hour and require parts costing $197, for a cost of 
$282 per product. We have no way of determining the number of products 
that may need these actions.

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 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify this proposed 
regulation:
    (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),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

DG Flugzeugbau GmbH: Docket No. FAA-2012-1250; Directorate 
Identifier 2012-CE-043-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by January 14, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG-1000T gliders 
equipped with Solo Kleinmotoren Model 2350 C engines, all serial 
numbers, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 72: Engine.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a material 
defect within the propeller shaft, most likely caused by a 
manufacturing error. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 
the propeller shaft and detachment of the propeller, which could 
result in reduced control of the aircraft or injury to persons on 
the ground.

(f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions:
    (1) Within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective 
date of this AD or 6 months after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs first, remove the propeller pulley assembly 
(module) from the engine and inspect the transition region of the 
part number (P/N) 20 31 211 shaft following Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH 
Service Bulletin Nr. 4603-13, Issue 1, dated September 24, 2012.
    (2) If, during the inspection required by paragraph (f)(1) of 
this AD, cracks are detected in the P/N 20 31 211 shaft, before 
further flight, do the following:
    (i) Replace the P/N 20 31 211 shaft with an airworthy P/N 20 31 
211 shaft; or
    (ii) Replace the propeller pulley assembly (module) with an 
airworthy propeller pulley assembly (module).

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Standards Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 
AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send 
information to ATTN: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small 
Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these 
actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered 
FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority 
(or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product 
is airworthy before it is returned to service.
    (3) Reporting Requirements: For any reporting requirement in 
this AD, a federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person 
is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a 
penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information 
subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless 
that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control 
Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 
2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is 
estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the 
time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. All responses to this collection of 
information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this 
burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to 
the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No.: 
2012-0197, dated September 25, 2012; and Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH 
Service Bulletin Nr. 4603-13, Issue 1, dated September 24, 2012, for 
related information. For service information related to this AD, 
contact Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH, Postfach 60 01 52, D 71050 
Sindelfingen, Germany; telephone: +49 07031-301-0; fax: +49 07031-
301-136; email: germany.com">aircraft@solo-germany.com; Internet: http://aircraft.solo-online.com/. You may review copies of the referenced 
service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information

[[Page 71361]]

on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-
4148.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 21, 2012.
Earl Lawrence,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-29027 Filed 11-29-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P