Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 95 / Thursday, May 16, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 28723 

eliminated. Minimization must be 

considered during initial design and not 

presented as an analysis after design 

completion. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 8, 

2013. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–11731 Filed 5–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0220; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–CE–002–AD; Amendment 

39–17451; AD 2013–09–09] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Slingsby 

Sailplanes Ltd. Sailplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

all Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. Models Dart 

T.51, Dart T.51/17, and Dart T.51/17R 

sailplanes equipped with aluminum 

alloy spar booms. This AD results from 

mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information (MCAI) issued by an 

aviation authority of another country to 

identify and correct an unsafe condition 

on an aviation product. The MCAI 

describes the unsafe condition as an 

incident of glue joint failure on a 

starboard wing caused by water entering 

the area of the airbrake box that resulted 

in delamination and corrosion in the 

area of the aluminum alloy spar booms 

and the wing attach fittings. We are 

issuing this AD to require actions to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective June 20, 

2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of June 20, 2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain other publication listed in 

this AD as of December 14, 1998 (63 FR 

58624, November 2, 1998). 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 

DC 20590. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Slingsby Advanced 

Composites Ltd., Ings Lane, 

Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, 

England YO62 6EZ; telephone: 

+44(0)1751 432474; Internet: None. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, Small 

Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (816) 329– 

4148. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim 

Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 

Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4165; fax: (816) 

329–4090; email: 

jim.rutherford@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on March 6, 2013 (78 FR 

14467), and proposed to supersede AD 

98–22–15, Amendment 39–10863 (63 

FR 58624, November 2, 1998). 

Since we issued AD 98–22–15, 

Amendment 39–10863 (63 FR 58624, 

November 2, 1998), Slingsby Aviation 

Ltd. has revised the related service 

information to remove the 5-year 

repetitive ‘‘cutout’’ inspection and to 

add a repetitive annual inspection using 

an endoscope. The endoscope 

inspection method would be done using 

existing drain holes in the lower wing 

skin. 

Using revised service information is 

mandatory within the United Kingdom 

airworthiness system. It is not necessary 

for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), 

which is the aviation authority for the 

United Kingdom, to issue an AD to 

mandate the use of new service 

information. 

AD action is the only way the FAA 

can mandate the use of new service 

information; however, owners/operators 

may request approval from the FAA to 

use an alternative method of compliance 

(AMOC). 

Several U.S. operators have 

complained that the repetitive 5-year 

‘‘cutout’’ inspection in the wooden wing 

skin, currently required by AD 98–22– 

15, Amendment 39–10863 (63 FR 

58624, November 2, 1998), was by 

default growing larger and larger with 

each inspection. 

We have determined that the current 

5-year repetitive ‘‘cutout’’ inspections 

will eventually weaken the wing 

structure and could result in an unsafe 

condition. We concur with the change 

to the annual endoscope inspection. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

have considered the comments received. 

John Wells, Michael Hoke, Chad Croix 

Wille, and one anonymous commenter 

support the NPRM (78 FR 14467, March 

6, 2013). 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

as proposed except for minor editorial 

changes. We have determined that these 

minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 

14467, March 6, 2013) for correcting the 

unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 14467, 

March 6, 2013). 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

10 products of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take about 40 workhours per product to comply with the 

initial inspection requirement retained 

from AD 98–22–15, Amendment 39– 

10863 (63 FR 58624, November 2, 1998) 

in this AD. The average labor rate is $85 

per work-hour. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the cost of the initial inspection 

required in this AD on U.S. operators to 

be $34,000, or $3,400 per product. 

We also estimate that it will take 

about 2 work-hours per product to 

comply with the new repetitive 

inspection requirement in this AD. The 

average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the cost of the new repetitive inspection 

required in this AD on U.S. operators to 

be $1,700, or $170 per product. 

We have no way of determining the 

number of repetitive inspections an 

owner/operator will incur over the life 

of the sailplane or the number of 

sailplanes that will need repairs. 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

section 106, describes the authority of 


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28724 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 95 / Thursday, May 16, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

the FAA Administrator. ‘‘Subtitle VII: 

Aviation Programs,’’ describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

We are issuing this rulemaking under 

the authority described in ‘‘Subtitle VII, 

Part A, Subpart III, section 44701: 

General requirements.’’ Under that 

section, Congress charges the FAA with 

promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in 

air commerce by prescribing regulations 

for practices, methods, and procedures 

the Administrator finds necessary for 

safety in air commerce. This regulation 

is within the scope of that authority 

because it addresses an unsafe condition 

that is likely to exist or develop on 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that this AD will not 

have federalism implications under 

Executive Order 13132. This AD will 

not have a substantial direct effect 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. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

the DOT Regulatory Policies and 

Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 

1979), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) 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. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains the NPRM (78 FR 

14467, March 6, 2013), the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Office (telephone (800) 647– 

5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 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. The FAA amends § 39.13 by 

removing Amendment 39–10863 (63 FR 

58624, November 2, 1998), and adding 

the following new AD: 

2013–09–09 Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd.: 

Amendment 39–17451; Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0220; Directorate Identifier 

2013–CE–002–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes 

effective June 20, 2013. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 98–22–15, 

Amendment 39–10863 (63 FR 58624, 

November 2, 1998). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. 

Models Dart T.51, Dart T.51/17, and Dart 

T.51/17R sailplanes, all serial numbers, that 

are: 

(1) Equipped with aluminum alloy spar 

booms; and 

(2) certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association of America 

(ATA) Code 57: Wing. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by an incident of 

glue joint failure on a starboard wing caused 

by water entering the area of the airbrake box 

that resulted in delamination and corrosion 

in the area of the aluminum alloy spar booms 

and the wing attach fittings. The 

manufacturer has also issued revised service 

information that changes the repetitive 

inspection interval and method. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent failure of the spar 

assembly and adjoining structure, which 

could result in reduced controllability or 

complete loss of control. 

(f) Actions and Compliance Retained From 

AD 98–22–15, Amendment 39–10863 (63 FR 

58624, November 2, 1998) 

Unless already done, do the following 

actions specified in paragraphs (f)(1) and 

(f)(2) of this AD: 

(1) Within the next 6 calendar months after 

December 14, 1998 (the effective date 

retained from AD 98–22–15, Amendment 39– 

10863 (63 FR 58624, November 2, 1998)), 

inspect the aluminum alloy spar booms and 

the wing attach fittings for delamination or 

corrosion damage following the ACTION

section of Slingsby Aviation Ltd. Technical 

Instruction T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue No. 2, 

dated October 7, 1997, or the ACTION section 

of Slingsby Aviation Ltd. Technical 

Instruction T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue 3, dated 

August 21, 2000. 

Note 1 to paragraph (f)(1) of this AD: 

Slingsby Aviation Ltd. Technical Instruction 

T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue No. 2, dated October 

7, 1997, and T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue 3, dated 

August 21, 2000, include guidance to 

determine whether an affected sailplane is 

equipped with aluminum alloy spar booms. 

(2) If any corrosion or delamination 

damage is found during the inspection 

required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, before 

further flight, contact the manufacturer at the 

address specified in paragraph (j)(5) of this 

AD to obtain an FAA-approved repair 

scheme and incorporate the repair. 

(g) New Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, do the following 

actions specified in paragraphs (g)(1) and 

(g)(2) of this AD: 

(1) Within 5 years after the last inspection 

required by AD 98–22–15, Amendment 39– 

10863 (63 FR 58624, November 2, 1998) and 

repetitively thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 12 months, using an endoscope, 

inspect the aluminum alloy spar booms and 

the wing attach fittings for delamination or 

corrosion damage following paragraph 11 of 

the ACTION section of Slingsby Aviation Ltd. 

Technical Instruction T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue 

3, dated August 21, 2000. 

(2) If any corrosion or delamination 

damage is found during any inspection 

required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, 

before further flight, contact the 

manufacturer at the address specified in 

paragraph (j)(5) of this AD to obtain an FAAapproved repair scheme and incorporate the 

repair. 

(h) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 

ATTN: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4165; fax: (816) 329– 

4090; email: jim.rutherford@faa.gov. Before 

using any approved AMOC on any sailplane 

to which the AMOC applies, notify your 

appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the 

FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), 

or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, a federal 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

person is not required to respond to, nor 

shall a person be subject to a penalty for 


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 95 / Thursday, May 16, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 28725 

failure to comply with a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 

collection of information displays a current 

valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 

Control Number for this information 

collection is 2120–0056. Public reporting for 

this collection of information is estimated to 

be approximately 5 minutes per response, 

including the time for reviewing instructions, 

completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. All responses to this collection 

of information are mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden and 

suggestions for reducing the burden should 

be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence 

Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

AES–200. 

(i) Related Information 

Refer to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) 

AD British AD 005–09–97, dated October 3, 

1997, for related information. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(3) The following service information was 

approved for IBR on June 20, 2013. 

(i) Slingsby Aviation Ltd. Technical 

Instruction T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue 3, dated 

August 21, 2000. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(4) The following service information was 

approved for IBR on December 14, 1998 (63 

FR 58624, November 2, 1998). 

(i) Slingsby Aviation Ltd. Technical 

Instruction T.I. No. 109/T51, Issue No. 2, 

dated October 7, 1997. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(5) For Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

Slingsby Advanced Composites Ltd., Ings 

Lane, Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, 

England YO62 6EZ; telephone: +44(0)1751 

432474; Internet: none. 

(6) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (816) 329–4148. 

(7) You may view this service information 

that is incorporated by reference at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, call 

202–741–6030, or go to: http:// 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 

30, 2013. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–10794 Filed 5–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0221; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–082–AD; Amendment 

39–17454; AD 2013–10–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Spectrolab 

Nightsun XP Searchlight 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for a 

certain Spectrolab Nightsun XP 

Searchlight Assembly (searchlight) 

installed on, but not limited to Agusta 

S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AB139 and 

Model AW139 helicopters, Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model 

S–92A helicopters, and Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model 

EC135 and Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters. This AD requires, before 

further flight, inserting information into 

the Normal Procedures section of the 

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM), a daily 

check of the searchlight, and at a 

specified time interval or if certain 

conditions are found, modifying any 

affected searchlight gimbal assembly. 

This AD was prompted by a report of a 

searchlight vibrating and an 

investigation that revealed that the 

gimbal azimuth top nut was loose. A 

loose nut, if not detected and corrected, 

could result in a gap between the rubber 

edging of the top shroud and the gimbal 

frame, leading to degradation of 

pointing accuracy and stability 

performance of the searchlight and 

excessive vibration. If the nut were to 

entirely disengage, the searchlight could 

disconnect partially or totally from the 

helicopter, resulting in damage to the 

helicopter and injury to persons on the 

ground. The actions of this AD are 

intended to ensure that the searchlight 

remains firmly attached to the 

helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective June 20, 

2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of June 20, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact 

Spectrolab, Inc. ATTN: Saul Vargas, 

12500 Gladstone Ave., Sylmar, CA 

91342, telephone (818) 365–4611, fax 

(818) 361–5102, or on the internet at 

http://www.spectrolab.com. You may 

review the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort 

Worth, Texas 76137. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or in person at the 

Docket Operations Office between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this AD, any 

incorporated-by-reference service 

information, the economic evaluation, 

any comments received, and other 

information. The street address for the 

Docket Operations Office (phone: 800– 

647–5527) is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations 

Office, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt 

Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone 

(817) 222–5110; email 

matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On March 8, 2012, at 77 FR 13993, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD that would apply to 

certain Spectrolab Nightsun XP 

Searchlights. The NPRM proposed to 

require before further flight, inserting 

information into the Normal Procedures 

section of the RFM, a daily check of the 

searchlight, and at a specified time 

interval or if certain conditions are 

found, modifying any affected 

searchlight gimbal assembly. An owner/ 

operator (pilot) holding at least a private 

pilot certificate may perform the visual 

check and must show compliance by 

updating the helicopter maintenance 

records in accordance with 14 CFR 

43.9(a)(1)–(4) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). This 

visual check is authorized because it 

requires no special tools and can be 

performed equally well by a pilot or 

mechanic; this authorization is an 

exception to our standard maintenance 

regulations. The proposed requirements 

were intended to ensure the searchlight 

remains firmly attached to the 

helicopter after a report that the 

searchlight was vibrating. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2010– 


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