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.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

66560

Vol. 62, No. 244

Friday, December 19, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–107–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Alexander

Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau Model

ASK–21 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 certain

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau

(Alexander Schleicher) Model ASK–21

sailplanes. The proposed AD would

require replacing any tow release cable

assembly that does not have a swiveltype end with a cable assembly that

does have a swivel-type end. The

proposed AD is the result of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information

(MCAI) issued by the airworthiness

authority for Germany. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent the inability to

release the tow rope because of the

design of the cable assembly, which

could result in loss of control of the

sailplane during towing operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before January 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–

107–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

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau,

6416 Poppenhausen, Wasserkuppe,

Federal Republic of Germany;

telephone: 49.6658.890 or 49.6658.8920;

facsimile: 49.6658.8923 or

49.6658.8940. 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/Gliders, Small Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification

Service, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone

(816) 426–6932; 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. 97–CE–107–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

Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules

Docket No. 97–CE–107–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Discussion

The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA),

which is the airworthiness authority for

Germany, notified the FAA that an

unsafe condition may exist on certain

Alexander Schleicher Model ASK–21

sailplanes. The LBA reports that service

difficulty reports indicate that the tow

release cable creates loops over time.

The loops are relatively short and lead

to strong bending loads on the cable,

mainly at the binding clamp. The

original design of the tow release cable

does not consist of a swivel-type end.

This condition, if not corrected, could

result in the inability to release the tow

rope with consequent loss of control of

the sailplane during towing operations.

Relevant Service Information

Alexander Schleicher has issued

Technical Note No. 10, dated October

10, 1983, which specifies procedures for

replacing any tow release cable

assembly that does not have a swiveltype end with a tow release cable

assembly that does have a swivel-type

end.

The LBA classified this service

bulletin as mandatory and issued

German AD No. 84–2, dated January 13,

1984, in order to assure the continued

airworthiness of these sailplanes in

Germany.

The FAA’s Determination

This sailplane model is manufactured

in Germany and is type certificated for

operation in the United States under the

provisions of § 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, including the service

information referenced above; 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 Alexander Schleicher

Model ASK–21 sailplanes of the same

type design registered in the United
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 244 / Friday, December 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules 66561

States, the FAA is proposing AD action.

The proposed AD would require

replacing any tow release cable

assembly that does not have a swiveltype end with a tow release cable

assembly that does have a swivel-type

end. Accomplishment of the proposed

installation would be in accordance

with the technical note previously

referenced.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 30 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 2 workhours per

sailplane to accomplish the proposed

replacement, and that the average labor

rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts

cost approximately $20 per sailplane.

Based on these figures, the total cost

impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $4,200, or

$140 per sailplane.

Compliance Time of the Proposed AD

Although the loops that form in the

cable assembly would only occur during

flight over time and the bending loads

are related to sailplane operation, the

FAA has no basis to determine the

approximate number of hours time-inservice (TIS) when the unsafe condition

is likely to occur. For example, the

loops could form in the tow release

cable assembly on a sailplane with 10

hours TIS, but not form until 500 hours

TIS on another sailplane. For this

reason, the FAA has determined that a

compliance based on calendar time

should be utilized in the proposed AD

in order to assure that the unsafe

condition is addressed on all sailplanes

in a reasonable time period.

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, or 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 airworthiness directive

(AD) to read as follows:

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau:

Docket No. 97–CE–107–AD.

Applicability: Model ASK–21 sailplanes,

serial numbers 21–001 through 21–196,

certificated in any category, that are

equipped with a tow release cable assembly

that does not have a swivel-type end.

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 request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (c) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required within the next 3

calendar months after the effective date of

this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent the inability to release the tow

rope because of the design of the cable

assembly, which could result in loss of

control of the sailplane during towing

operations, accomplish the following:

(a) Replace any tow release cable assembly

that does not have a swivel-type end with a

tow release cable assembly that does have a

swivel-type end in accordance with

Alexander Schleicher Technical Note No. 10,

dated October 10, 1983.

(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.

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.

(d) Questions or technical information

related to Alexander Schleicher Technical

Note No. 10, dated October 10, 1983, should

be directed to Alexander Schleicher

Segelflugzeugbau, 6416 Poppenhausen,

Wasserkuppe, Federal Republic of Germany;

telephone: 49.6658.890 or 49.6658.8920;

facsimile: 49.6658.8923 or 49.6658.8940.

This service information may be examined at

the FAA, Central Region, Office of the

Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th

Street, Kansas City.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in German AD No. 84–2, dated January 13,

1984.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on

December 11, 1997.

Michael Gallagher,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33144 Filed 12–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–46–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus

Aircraft Ltd. Models PC–12 and PC–12/

45 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 Pilatus

Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Models PC–12 and

PC–12/45 airplanes. The proposed

action would require installing

aluminum bonding bushings over

certain screws in certain fuel tank

underwing access panels. Several

reports from the field revealing fuel tank

access panels insufficiently electrically

bonded to the airframe prompted this

proposed AD. The actions specified by