[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 10, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 65001-65002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31265]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 10, 1996 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 65001]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-95-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Burkhart Grob, Luft-und Raumfahrt,
GmbH. Model G102 Astir CS 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 the Burkhart Grob, Luft-und Raumfahrt, GmbH.
(Grob) Model G102 Astir CS sailplanes. The proposed action would
require replacing the elevator control lever. This proposed action is
prompted by the discovery of cracks in the elevator control lever
during a routine inspection of a Grob Model G102 Astir CS sailplane.
The action specified by the proposed AD is intended to prevent failure
of the elevator control lever, which could result in loss of control of
the sailplane.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 12, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-95-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 Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt, GmbH, Postfach 1257, D-87712, Mindelheim,
Germany. 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, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service,
FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106; telephone
(816) 426-6934; 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. 95-CE-95-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 Assistant Chief Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-95-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Events Leading to the Proposed Action
The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority
for Germany, recently notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may
exist on certain Grob Model Astir CS sailplanes. The LBA reports that
cracks have been found in the elevator control lever, which if not
corrected, could cause loss of control of the sailplane.
Grob has issued Service Bulletin (SB) TM 306-33, dated September
15, 1994, and Grob Installation Instructions No. 306-30/1, dated
October 11, 1994, which specifies inspecting for cracks in the elevator
control lever and replacing any cracked elevator control lever, prior
to further flight, or replacing the elevator control lever prior to a
certain date.
The LBA classified these service bulletins as mandatory and issued
AD 94-317/2 Grob, date of issue: April 21, 1995, in order to assure the
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Germany.
Proposed Compliance Time
The FAA has reviewed the compliance times recommended by the
manufacturer in the Grob SB 306-33, and by the LBA AD and has
determined that one compliance time for all operators is more equitable
and would not present any undue burden on any of the owner/operators of
any U.S. registered sailplanes. Therefore, the compliance time stated
in the body of the proposed AD would take precedence over the
compliance time recommended by the manufacturer and the foreign
airworthiness authority for Germany.
Explanation of the Provisions of This AD
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 the FAA informed of
the situation described above. The FAA has examined the findings of the
LBA, reviewed all available information, and determined that AD action
is necessary for products of this type design that are certificated for
operation in the United States. The FAA has also determined that it is
more beneficial and less cumbersome to the owners/operators to require
a replacement of the elevator control lever within the next 20 hours
time-in-service, instead of requiring an initial inspection for cracks
and if cracks are found, replacing the part prior to further flight,
and then if no cracks are found, replacing the part prior to a certain
date, as required by the
[[Page 65002]]
LBA and the manufacturer. The one time replacement is more time and
labor efficient.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop in other Grob G102 Astir CS sailplanes of the same
type design, the proposed AD would require replacing the elevator
control lever, part number (P/N) 102-3542 with an improved elevator
control lever, P/N 102-3543.
Related Service Information
Accomplishment of the proposed action would be in accordance with
Grob SB TM 306-33, dated September 15, 1994 and Grob Installation
Instructions No. 306-30/1, dated October 11, 1994.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 53 sailplanes in the U.S. registry would be
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 12 hours
per sailplane to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average
labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost approximately $180
per sailplane. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $47,700.
Grob has informed the FAA that no parts have been distributed to
equip any sailplane in the United States. The FAA has no way of
determining how many owners/operators may have incorporated the
proposed actions on their sailplane.
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, 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 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 AD to read as follows:
Burkhart Grob Luft-Und Raumfahrt, GMBH: Docket No. 95-CE-95-AD.
Applicability: Model G102 Astir CS sailplanes (serial numbers
1001 through 1536), certificated in any category.
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 use the authority
provided in paragraph (c) of this AD to request approval from the
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair
remove any aircraft from the applicability of this AD.
Compliance: Required within the next 20 hours time-in-service
after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent failure of the elevator control lever, which could
result in loss of control of the sailplane, accomplish the
following:
(a) Replace the elevator control lever, Grob part number (P/N)
102-3542, with an elevator control lever of improved design (Grob P/
N 102-3543) in accordance with the ``Procedure'' section of the Grob
Installation Instructions No. 306-30/1, dated October 11, 1994,
which are referenced in the ``Actions: 2'' section of Grob service
bulletin (SB) TM 306-33, dated September 15, 1994.
Note 2: The instructions in this AD do not reflect the
instructions given in the Grob service bulletin or the LBA AD
discussed in the preamble of this AD; therefore, the instructions in
the body of this AD take precedence over the Grob service bulletin
and the LBA AD.
(b) 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.
(c) 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, FAA, 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, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri,
64106.
Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Small Airplane Directorate.
(d) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of
the document referred to herein upon request Grob Luft-und
Raumfahrt, GmbH, Postfach 1257, D-87712, Mindelheim, Germany or may
examine this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the
Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 2, 1996.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 96-31265 Filed 12-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
