[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12529-12530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06395]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0197]


Airworthiness Criteria: Glider Design Criteria for Alexander 
Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Model ASK 21 B Glider

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed design criteria.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests 
comments on the proposed design criteria for the Alexander Schleicher 
GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Model ASK 21 B glider. The administrator 
finds the proposed design criteria for the Model ASK 21 B 
acceptable.These final design criteria will be published in the Federal 
Register.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 2, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2019-0197 
using any of the following methods:
    [ballot] Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    [ballot] Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590-0001.
    [ballot] Hand Delivery of Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    [ballot] Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information 
the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket 
website, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments 
received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual 
sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement can 
be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Rutherford, AIR-692, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Policy & Innovation Division, Small Airplane 
Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106, 
telephone (816) 329-4165, FAX (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by 
sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments 
reference a specific portion of the design criteria, explain the reason 
for any recommended change, and include supporting data. We ask that 
you send us two copies of written comments.
    We will consider all comments received on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change 
these airworthiness design criteria based on received comments.

Background

    On August 16, 2018, Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. 
Segelflugzeugbau (Alexander Schleicher) applied for validation of a 
type certificate change to add the Model ASK 21 B glider in accordance 
with the ``Technical Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness and 
Environmental Certification Between the FAA and the European Aviation 
Safety Agency (EASA),'' Revision 6, dated September 22, 2017. This 
model is a modified version of the Model ASK 21 glider and will be 
documented on existing Type Certificate Number (No.) G47EU. The Model 
ASK 21 B is a two-seat, mid-wing glider constructed from glass-fiber 
reinforced plastic and features a 55.8 foot (17 meters) wingspan with 
airbrakes on the upper wing surface. The glider has a non-retractable 
landing gear with a nose wheel and shock-absorbed, braked main wheel 
and a T-type tailplane. The glider has a maximum weight of 1,323 pounds 
(600 kilograms).
    EASA type certificated the Model ASK 21 B glider in the utility and 
aerobatic categories and issued Type Certificate No. EASA.A.221, dated 
August 9, 2018. The associated EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) 
No. EASA.A.221 defined the certification basis, which Alexander 
Schleicher submitted to the FAA for review and acceptance.
    Gliders are type certificated by the FAA as special class aircraft 
for which airworthiness standards have not yet been established by 
regulation. Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17(b), the airworthiness 
standards for special class aircraft are those found by the FAA to be 
appropriate and applicable to the specific type design. FAA Advisory 
Circular (AC) 21.17-2A \1\ provides guidance on acceptable design 
criteria for the type certification of gliders and powered gliders in 
the United States. AC 21.17-2A allows applicants to utilize the Joint 
Aviation Requirements (JAR)-22 \2\, other airworthiness criteria 
comparable to 14 CFR part 23, or a combination of both as the means for 
showing compliance for glider certification.
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    \1\ Ref AC 21.17-2A, ``Type Certification--Fixed-Wing Gliders 
(Sailplanes), Including Powered Gliders,'' dated February 10, 1993.
    \2\ Ref JAR-22, ``Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes.''
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Type Certification Basis

    The certification basis for the Model ASK 21 B will be the same as 
the certification basis for the Model ASK 21 as shown on TCDS No. 
G47EU, Revision

[[Page 12530]]

1, except for areas affected by the change, which will use EASA 
Certification Specification (CS)-22\3\ as shown in these proposed 
airworthiness criteria.
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    \3\ Ref EASA CS-22, ``Certification Specifications for 
Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes,'' amendment 2, dated March 5, 
2009.
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The Proposed Design Criteria

    Applicable Airworthiness Criteria under 14 CFR 21.17(b).
    Based on the Special Class provisions of Sec.  21.17(b), the 
following airworthiness requirements form the FAA certification basis 
for the Model ASK 21 B:
    1. 14 CFR part 21, effective February 1, 1965, including amendments 
21-1 through 21-53.
    2. Lufttuechtigkeitsforderungen fuer Segelflugzeuge and Motorsegler 
(LFSM) Airworthiness Requirements for Sailplanes and Powered 
Sailplanes, dated October 23, 1975.
    3. JAR-22, dated April 1, 1980, including amendment 1, dated May 
18, 1981.
    4. CS-22, amendment 2, dated March 5, 2009, for the following 
regulations: CS 22.147, 22.455, 22.477, 22.561 except (b)(2), 22.595, 
22.597, 22.629, 22.677, 22.685, 22.689, 22.721, 22.771, 22.773, 22.777, 
22.779, 22.780, 22.781, 22.785, 22.786, 22.787, 22.788, 22.807, and 
22.831.
    5. AC 21.23-1, section 5(e)(6), dated January 12, 1981.
    6. Operations are limited to Day VFR and to flying in Instrument 
Meteorological Conditions (IMC) if the glider is equipped as required 
under 14 CFR 91.205. Night operation is prohibited.
    7. FAA Type Certificate Application Date: August 16, 2018.
    8. EASA Type Certificate No. EASA.A.221, Issue 05, dated August 9, 
2018.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 21, 2019.
Pat Mullen,
Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06395 Filed 4-1-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P