Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules 4205

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Fort Worth ACO.

(e) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the service bulletins

referred to herein upon request to Fairchild

Aircraft, P.O. Box 790490, San Antonio,

Texas 78279–0490; or may examine these

service bulletins at the FAA, Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room

1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106.

(f) This amendment supersedes AD 96–21–

05, Amendment 39–9782.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January

21, 1997.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–2103 Filed 1–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–CE–37–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Burkhart

Grob, Luft- und Raumfahrt, Model G

103 C Twin III SL Sailplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

adopt a new airworthiness directive

(AD) that would apply to the Burkhart

Grob, Luft- und Raumfahrt (Grob) Model

G 103 C Twin III SL sailplanes. The

proposed action would require

inspecting the propeller bearing and

upper pulley wheel for increased play

and, if increased play is found,

modifying the propeller bearing and

pulley wheel with a part of improved

design. The proposed action is

prompted by two reports of Model G

103 C Twin III SL sailplanes losing the

engine propeller while in flight and one

operator finding increased play in the

sailplane propeller during an

inspection. The actions specified by the

proposed AD are intended to prevent

the loss of the sailplane engine propeller

and possibly causing loss of the

sailplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before April 3, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 96–CE–37–

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

Burkhart Grob Luft und Raumfahrt, D–

86874 Mattsies, 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,

Airplane 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. 96–CE–37–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. 96–CE–37–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 G 103 C Twin III SL

sailplanes, serial numbers (S/N) 35002

through 35051. The LBA reports that

two Model G 103 C Twin III SL

sailplanes lost the engine propeller

while in flight, and one operator found

increased play in the sailplane propeller

bearing and upper pulley wheel during

an inspection. Increased play is defined

by measuring the movement at the outer

edge of the brake disc. If the movement

exceeds or is equal to 0.4 mm, then the

outer bearing and upper pulley wheel

would need to be replaced. This

increased play could start rotating the

outer bearing races and damage the

grooved nut, subsequently causing the

engine propeller to come loose and

possibly fall off. This condition, if not

detected and corrected, could result in

loss of the sailplane.

Grob has issued Service Bulletin (SB)

869–18, dated March 7, 1996, and SB

869–18/2, dated July 8, 1996, that

revises page six of SB 869–18, which

specifies inspecting the propeller

bearing for increased play and

modifying the propeller bearing, if

increased play is found.

FAA’s Determination

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.

Explanation of the Provisions of the

Proposed AD

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop in other Grob G 103 C Twin III

SL sailplanes of the same type design,

the proposed AD would require

repetitively inspecting the propeller

bearing and pulley wheel for increased

play, eventually modifying the propeller

bearing and upper pulley wheel by

installing a part of improved design.

Related Service Information

Accomplishment of the proposed

action would be in accordance with

Grob Service Bulletin (SB) 869–18,

dated March 7, 1996, and Grob SB 869–

18/2, dated July 8, 1996, which is a
4206 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules

revised page 6 of the Grob SB 869–18,

dated March 7, 1996.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 8 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 1 hour per sailplane to

accomplish the proposed initial

inspection and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 an hour. The

estimated cost for the initial inspection

would be $60 per sailplane. Based on

this figure, the total cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $480.

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 action 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.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new AD to read as follows:

Burkhardt Grob: Docket No. 96–CE–37–AD.

Applicability: Model G 103 C Twin III SL

sailplanes (serial numbers 35002 through

35051, including gliders), 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 (d) 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 sailplane from the

applicability of this AD.

Compliance: Required as indicated in the

body of this AD, unless already

accomplished.

To prevent the loss of the sailplane engine

propeller and possibly causing loss of the

sailplane, accomplish the following:

(a) Within the next 5 engine operating

hours do one of the following:

(1) Modify the propeller bearing and upper

pulley wheel by installing parts of improved

design in accordance with the ‘‘Actions: 2.’’

and the ‘‘Installation Instructions’’ sections of

Grob service bulletin (SB) 869–18, dated

March 7, 1996, and Grob SB 869–18/2, dated

July 8, 1996; or,

(2) Inspect the propeller bearing and upper

pulley wheel for increased play (movement

that exceeds or is equal to 0.4 mm) in

accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’ section of

Grob service bulletin (SB) 869–18, dated

March 7, 1996.

(i) If increased play is found, prior to

further flight, accomplish the modification in

paragraph (a)(1) of this AD or,

(ii) If no increased play is found, continue

to repetitively inspect for increased play in

the propeller bearing and upper pulley wheel

every 5 engine operating hours in accordance

with the ‘‘Actions: 1.’’ section in Grob SB

869–18, dated March 7, 1996, and Grob SB

869–18/2, dated July 8, 1996. If increased

play is found during any inspection, then,

prior to further flight, accomplish the

modifications in paragraph (a)(1) of this AD.

(b) Accomplishing the modification in

paragraph (a)(1) of this AD is a terminating

action to the repetitive inspection required in

paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this AD.

(c) 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.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the initial and repetitive

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 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Small Airplane

Directorate.

(e) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the document referred

to herein upon request to Burkhart Grob

Luftund Raumfahrt, D–86874 Mattsies,

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 January

22, 1997.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR DOC. 97–2104 Filed 1–28 97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–CE–60–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon

Aircraft Company (Formerly Beech

Aircraft Corporation) Models 1900,

1900C, and 1900D Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

adopt a new airworthiness directive

(AD) that would apply to certain

Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon)

Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes (formerly referred to as Beech

Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D

airplanes). The proposed AD would

require installing lubrication fittings in

the airstair door handle and latch

housing mechanisms. The proposed AD

results from reports of the airstair door