Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules 7373

payment lease transactions or other periodic

payments. The content, format, and headings

for the segregated disclosures must be

substantially similar to those contained in

the model forms; therefore, any changes

should be minimal. The changes to the model

forms should not be so extensive as to affect

the substance and the clarity of the

disclosures.

2. Examples of acceptable changes.

i. Using the first person, instead of the

second person, in referring to the lessee.

ii. Using ‘‘lessee,’’ ‘‘lessor,’’ or names

instead of pronouns.

iii. Rearranging the sequence of the

nonsegregated disclosures.

iv. Incorporating certain state ‘‘plain

English’’ requirements.

v. Deleting inapplicable disclosures by

blocking out, filling in ‘‘N/A’’ (not

applicable) or ‘‘0,’’ crossing out, leaving

blanks, checking a box for applicable items,

or circling applicable items. (This should

permit use of multi-purpose standard forms).

vi. Adding language or symbols to indicate

estimates.

vii. Adding numeric or alphabetic

designations.

viii. Rearranging the disclosures into

vertical columns, except for § 213.4(b)

through (e) disclosures.

3. Model closed-end or net vehicle lease

disclosure. Model A–2 is designed for a

closed-end or net vehicle lease. Under the

‘‘Early Termination and Default’’ provision a

reference to the lessee’s right to an

independent appraisal of the leased vehicle

under § 213.4(l) is included for those closedend leases in which the lessee’s liability at

early termination is based on the vehicle’s

estimated value.

4. Model furniture lease disclosures. Model

A–3 is a closed-end lease disclosure

statement designed for a typical furniture

lease. It does not include a disclosure of the

appraisal right at early termination required

under § 213.4(l) because few closed-end

furniture leases base the lessee’s liability at

early termination on the estimated value of

the leased property. Of course, the disclosure

should be added, if it is applicable.

By order of the Board of Governors of the

Federal Reserve System, acting through the

Secretary of the Board under delegated

authority, February 12, 1997.

William W. Wiles,

Secretary of the Board.

[FR Doc. 97–3955 Filed 2–13–97; 2:20 pm]

BILLING CODE 6210–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–CE–40–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Grob Luftund Raumfahrt, GmbH; Models G 109

and G 109B 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 Grob

Luft-und Raumfahrt (Grob) Models G

109 and G 109B sailplanes. The

proposed action would require

inspecting the landing gear retaining

bars and landing gear legs for proper

radius, thickness, and cracking, and

installing additional supportive parts or

replacing the retaining bars and landing

legs with parts of improved design.

Reports of landing gear failure on

certain G 109 and G 109B sailplanes

prompted the proposed action. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent failure of the

landing gear legs and possible loss of

the sailplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before April 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments on the

proposal in triplicate to the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA), Central

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No.

96-CE–40-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., D–

8939, Mattsies-am Flugplatz, 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, FAA, Small Airplane

Directorate, 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. 96-CE–40-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–40-AD, Room

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

Missouri 64106.

Discussion

The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA),

which is the airworthiness authority for

Germany, recently notified the FAA that

an unsafe condition may exist on certain

Grob G 109 and G 109B sailplanes. The

LBA reports that the landing gear on

three of these sailplanes failed during

landing. An investigation of these

incidents revealed landing gear legs

with fatigue cracks and weak retaining

bars from an error in the manufacturing

process. This condition, if not detected

and corrected, could result in landing

gear failure and possible loss of the

sailplane.

Related Service Information

Grob has issued Service Bulletin TM

817–39, dated January 4, 1994, which

specifies procedures for inspecting and

modifying or replacing the landing gear

retaining bars and the landing gear legs.

The landing gear retaining bar should

have a minimum radius of 3.0

millimeters (mm) on the chamfer. If the
7374 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules

radius is less than 3.0 mm, the retaining

bar would be replaced with an

improved retaining bar (part number (P/

N) 109–5000.02) and a plastic

reinforcing strip (P/N 109–5000.07). If

the radius is 3.0 mm or greater, the

plastic reinforcing strip would be glued

onto the retaining bars.

The landing gear legs that are not

marked with ‘‘0’’ (zero) would require

inspecting for cracks by the magnetic

particle or x-ray method, and if there are

any cracks measuring greater than 0.5

mm, the landing gear legs would be

replaced with new legs. If there are

cracks measuring less than 0.5 mm, the

proposed action would require

polishing the cracks out, unless

polishing would reduce the total leg

thickness to less than 13.0 mm. If the leg

thickness is less than 13.0 mm, the

landing gear leg would be replaced. If

there are no cracks in the landing gear

legs, or the landing gear leg thickness is

greater than 13.0 mm, after polishing,

the proposed action would require

repetitively inspecting until cracks are

found, or until new landing gear legs are

installed. Installing the improved

landing gear legs and the improved

retaining bars would terminate the

proposed repetitive inspection.

The LBA classified this service

bulletin as mandatory and issued AD

94–004/2 Grob, dated February 3, 1994,

in order to ensure the continued

airworthiness of these sailplanes in

Germany.

FAA’s Determination

These sailplane models are

manufactured in Germany and are 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

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 Grob G 109 and G 109B

sailplanes of the same type design

registered in the United States, the

proposed AD would require:

(1) Inspecting the retaining bars

chamfer for the correct radius, and

replacing the bars or reinforcing the

bars, as applicable.

(2) Inspecting the landing gear legs

that are not marked with ‘‘0’’ (zero) on

the front of the legs for fatigue cracks,

and if cracks are greater than or less

than the tolerance measurement, either

replace or repetitively inspect the

landing gear legs, as applicable.

(3) Measure the total thickness of the

landing gear legs. If they measure less

than, greater than or equal to 13.0 mm,

continue to inspect or replace legs with

new improved legs, as applicable.

(4) Replacing the landing gear legs

with parts of improved design would

terminate the proposed repetitive

inspections.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 63 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 2 workhours per leg per

sailplane to accomplish the inspection

and modification on the proposed

retaining bar action, approximately 9

workhours per leg per sailplane to

accomplish the removal, inspection and

re-installation, and approximately 6

workhours per leg to accomplish the

replacement. The average labor rate is

approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost

approximately $90 per sailplane for

retaining bars and $1800 per sailplane

for landing gear legs. The plastic strip

for the retaining bar is provided by the

manufacturer at no charge. Breaking

these costs down by individual action,

the estimated total cost for each action

would be as follows:

—The proposed inspection and

modification of the retaining bars

would be $210 ($120/labor + $90/

parts) per sailplane or $13,230 for

the U.S. fleet.

—The proposed inspection and

polishing of the landing gear legs

would be $540 per sailplane or

$34,020 for the U.S. fleet.

—The proposed replacement of the

landing gear legs would be $2,160

($360/labor + $1,800/parts) per

sailplane or $136,080 for the U.S.

fleet.

—The cost for the proposed repetitive

inspections on the landing gear legs

is not included in the above figures.

The manufacturer has informed the

FAA that they have dispatched

equipment to outfit approximately 30

sailplanes with new retaining bars,

reducing the estimated cost impact of

the retaining bars from $13,230 to

$6,930. The manufacturer has also

distributed approximately 3 sets of new

landing gear legs, reducing the

estimated total cost impact of the

landing gear leg replacement from

$136,080 to $129,600.

Proposed Compliance Time

The compliance time of the proposed

AD is presented in calendar time

instead of hours time-in-service (TIS).

The FAA has determined that a calendar

time compliance is the most desirable

method because the unsafe condition of

the landing gear legs described by this

AD is caused by corrosion. Corrosion

initiates as a result of sailplane

operation, but can continue to develop

regardless of whether the sailplane is in

service or in storage. Therefore, to

ensure that the above-referenced

condition is detected and corrected on

all sailplanes within a reasonable period

of time without inadvertently grounding

any sailplanes, a compliance schedule

based upon calendar time instead of

hours TIS is required.

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:
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Proposed Rules 7375

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS

DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 USC 106(g), 40113, 44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new airworthiness directive

(AD) to read as follows:

Grob Luft-Und Raumfahrt, GMBH. (GROB):

Docket No. 96–CE–40–AD.

Applicability: Models G 109 and G 109B

sailplanes, all serial numbers, 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 request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (e) 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 as indicated in the

body of this AD, unless already

accomplished.

To prevent failure of the landing gear legs

and possible loss of the sailplane, accomplish

the following:

(a) Within the next 120 calendar days after

the effective date of this AD, inspect the

retaining bars chamfer on both landing gear

legs for a minimum of 3.0 millimeters (mm)

radius in accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’

section, paragraph A3 in Grob Service

Bulletin (SB) 817–39, dated January 4, 1994.

(1) If the chamfer radius is 3.0 mm or

greater, prior to further flight, glue a

reinforcing plastic strip (part number (P/N)

109–5000.07) to the retaining bar in

accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’ section,

paragraph A4 in Grob SB 817–39, dated

January 4, 1994.

(2) If the chamfer radius is less than 3.0

mm, prior to further flight, replace with a

new improved retaining bar (P/N 109–

5000.02), and install the plastic strip (P/N

109–5000.07) in accordance with the

‘‘Actions’’ section, paragraph A5 in Grob SB

817–39, dated January 1994.

(b) For sailplanes not equipped with

landing gear legs, P/N 109B–5001.01/1,

within the next 2,000 sailplane landings or

1,000 hours TIS after the effective date,

whichever occurs first, inspect the landing

gear legs for cracks (using the magnetic

particle or X-ray analysis method) in

accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’ section,

paragraph B9 in Grob SB 817–39, dated

January 4, 1994.

Note 2: Landing gear legs (P/N 109B–

5001.01/1) have a ‘‘0’’ stamped on the front

side of the leg for easy identification.

(1) If there are cracks less than or equal to

0.5 mm, prior to further flight, polish the

existing legs or replace the legs with P/N

109B–5001.01/1 in accordance with the

‘‘Actions’’ section, paragraph B10 in Grob SB

817–39, dated January 4, 1994.

(2) If the polished landing gear legs

measures less than 13.0 mm, prior to further

flight, replace the landing gear legs with P/

N 1090B–5001.01/1 in accordance with the

‘‘Actions’’ section, paragraph B10 in Grob SB

817–39, dated January 4, 1994.

(3) If no cracks are found, or the cracks are

less than 0.5 mm, and the thickness of the

landing gear legs is equal to or greater than

13.0 mm, repetitively inspect the landing

gear legs for cracks every 1,000 landings or

500 hours TIS, whichever occurs first, in

accordance with the ‘‘Actions’’ section,

paragraph B12 in Grob SB 817–39, dated

January 4, 1994.

(4) If during any of the repetitive

inspections, the legs have previously been

polished and new cracks are found, prior to

further flight, replace the legs with P/N

109B–5001.01/1 in accordance with the

‘‘Actions’’ section, paragraph B12 in Grob SB

817–39, dated January 4, 1994.

(c) Replacement of the landing gear legs

with P/N 109B–5000.01/1 terminates the

repetitive inspections required by this AD

and Grob SB 817–39, dated January 4, 1994.

(d) 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.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the initial or repetitive

compliance times that provides an equivalent

level of safety may be approved by the

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 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 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Small Airplane

Directorate.

(f) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the documents referred

to herein upon request to Grob Luft-und

Raumfahrt, GmbH., D–8939, Mattsies-am

Flugplatz, Germany or may examine these

documents 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

February 10, 1997.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–3961 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 96–CE–69–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; The New

Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Formerly Piper

Aircraft Corporation) PA–31, PA–31P,

PA–31T, and PA–42 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed

rulemaking (ANPRM).

SUMMARY: Recently, the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)

that applied to The New Piper Aircraft,

Inc. (Piper) PA–31, PA–31P, and PA–

31T series airplanes. The NPRM would

have required incorporating a main

landing gear (MLG) inboard door hinge

and attachment angle assembly, part

number (P/N) 47529–32, as terminating

action for the repetitive inspection

requirement of Airworthiness Directive

(AD) 80–26–05. The Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) has received a

comment to the NPRM that specifies

fatigue cracking of the P/N 47529–32

MLG inboard door hinge and

attachment angle assembly on the

affected airplanes. The Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) reviewed

manufacturer’s service history and

service difficulty reports in the FAA

database associated with the P/N

47529–32 main landing gear hinge

assembly, and has determined that more

information and analysis are needed to

propose any AD action. The purpose of

this ANPRM is to seek comments from

interested persons regarding the service

history of P/N 47529–32 hinge

assemblies. All comments will be

evaluated by the FAA and the FAA will

research the situation to decide whether

additional rulemaking is needed.

DATES: Comments must be received by

May 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the FAA, Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 96–CE–69–

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christina Marsh, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification

Office, Campus Building, 1701

Columbia Avenue, suite 2–160, College

Park, Georgia 30337–2748; telephone

(404) 305–7362; facsimile (404) 305–

7348.