Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 1998 / Proposed Rules 20545

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–CE–31–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Glaser-Dirks

Flugzeugbau GmbH Model DG–500M

Gliders.

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 all GlaserDirks Flugzeugbau GmbH (Glaser-Dirks)

Model DG–500M gliders. The proposed

AD would require inspecting the center

of gravity (C.G.) tow release cable pulley

for correct positioning, and replacing

the C.G. tow release cable pulley with

one made of aluminum either

immediately or eventually depending

on the results of the inspection. 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 C.G. tow release

cable from coming off the pulley

because of incorrect positioning, which

could result in the pilot being unable to

release from tow operations.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before June 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 98–CE–31–

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 DG

Flugzeugbau GmbH, Postfach 4120, D–

76625 Bruchsal 4, Germany; telephone:

+49 7257–89–0; facsimile: +49 7257–

8922. This information also may be

examined at the Rules Docket at the

address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Mike Kiesov, Aerospace Engineer, 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. 98–CE–31–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. 98–CE–31–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 all

Glaser-Dirks Model DG–500M gliders.

The LBA reports an incident where the

center of gravity (C.G.) tow release cable

pulley on one of the affected gliders

moved in the axial direction as the ball

bearing in the pulley came loose.

This condition, if not corrected in a

timely manner, could result in the C.G.

tow release cable coming off the pulley,

and the pilot being unable to release

from tow operations.

Relevant Service Information

Glaser-Dirks has issued Technical

Note No. 843–9, dated November 21,

1997, which specifies procedures for

inspecting the C.G. tow release cable

pulley for correct positioning, and

replacing the C.G. tow release cable

pulley with one made of aluminum, part

no. S 30.

The LBA classified this service

bulletin as mandatory and issued

German AD 1998–023, dated January 15,

1998, in order to assure the continued

airworthiness of these gliders in

Germany.

The FAA’s Determination

This glider 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 Glaser-Dirks Model

DG–500M gliders of the same type

design registered in the United States,

the FAA is proposing AD action. The

proposed AD would require inspecting

the C.G. tow release cable pulley for

correct positioning, and replacing the

C.G. tow release cable pulley with one

made of aluminum, part no. S 30, either

immediately or eventually depending

on the results of the inspection.

Accomplishment of the proposed

installation would be required in

accordance with Glaser-Dirks Technical

Note No. 843–9, dated November 21,

1997.

Compliance Time of the Proposed AD

Although the C.G. tow release cable

coming off the pulley would only be an

unsafe condition during flight and

would only occur after repeated glider

operation, the FAA has no basis to

determine the approximate number of

hours time-in-service (TIS) when the

unsafe condition is likely to occur. For

example, the unsafe condition

referenced in this proposal could occur

on a glider with 10 hours TIS, but not

occur until 500 hours TIS on another

glider. 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
20546 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 1998 / Proposed Rules

unsafe condition is addressed on all

gliders in a reasonable time period.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 5 gliders in

the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 2 workhours per glider to

accomplish the proposed action, and

that the average labor rate is

approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost

approximately $20 per glider. Based on

these figures, the total cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $700, or $140 per glider.

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:

Glaser-Dirks Flugzeugbau GMBH: Docket

No. 98–CE–31–AD.

Applicability: Model DG–500M gliders, all

serial numbers, certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each glider

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

gliders 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 the center of gravity (C.G.) tow

release cable from coming off the pulley

because of incorrect positioning, which could

result in the pilot being unable to release

from tow operations, accomplish the

following:

(a) Within the next 30 calendar days after

the effective date of this AD, inspect the C.G.

tow release cable pulley for correct

positioning in accordance with the

Instructions section of Glaser-Dirks Technical

Note No. 843–9, dated November 21, 1997. If

any tow release pulley is found out-of-center

during this inspection, prior to further flight,

replace the C.G. tow release cable pulley with

one made of aluminum, part no. S 30.

Accomplish this replacement in accordance

with the technical note.

(b) Within the next 6 calendar months after

the effective date of this AD, unless already

accomplished as required by paragraph (a) of

this AD, replace the C.G. tow release cable

pulley with one made of aluminum, part no.

S 30. Accomplish this replacement in

accordance with the Instructions section of

Glaser-Dirks Technical Note No. 843–9, dated

November 21, 1997.

(c) The replacement required by paragraph

(b) of this AD may be accomplished at any

time prior to the required time, including in

lieu of the inspection required by paragraph

(a) of this AD.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with §§ 21.197 and 21.199 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197

and 21.199) to operate the glider to a location

where the requirements of this AD can be

accomplished.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance times 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.

(f) Questions or technical information

related to Glaser-Dirks Technical Note No.

843–9, dated November 21, 1997, should be

directed to DG Flugzeugbau GmbH, Postfach

4120, D–76625 Bruchsal 4, Germany;

telephone: +49 7257–89–0; facsimile: +49

7257–8922. This service information may be

examined at the FAA, Central Region, Office

of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E.

12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in German AD 1998–023, dated January 15,

1998.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on April

17, 1998.

James E. Jackson,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–11013 Filed 4–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–NM–77–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A320 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to

certain Airbus Model A320 series

airplanes. This proposal would require

repetitive inspections to detect cracking

in the pressurized floor pick-up angles

on the rear spar of the wing, and

replacement of any cracked pick-up

angle and its associated diaphragms

with improved parts. Such replacement

would terminate the repetitive

inspections for that angle. This proposal

is prompted by issuance of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information by

a foreign civil airworthiness authority.

The actions specified by the proposed

AD are intended to detect and correct

cracking in the pressurized floor pickup angles at the rear spar of the wing,

which could result in reduced structural

integrity of the airframe.

DATES: Comments must be received by

May 27, 1998.