Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 115 /Tuesday, June 16, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 32719

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–CE–04–AD; Amendment 39–

10593; AD 98–13–05]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Alexander

Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau Model

AS–K13 Sailplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that

applies to certain Alexander Schleicher

Segelflugzeugbau (Alexander

Schleicher) Model AS–K13 sailplanes.

This AD requires inspecting the main

spar fitting for excessive tolerance,

traces, movement, etc., and repairing the

main spar fitting if any of the above

conditions exist. This AD is the result

of mandatory continuing airworthiness

information (MCAI) issued by the

airworthiness authority for Germany.

The actions specified by this AD are

intended to prevent failure of the main

spar caused by excessive movement of

the main spar fitting, which could result

in loss of control of the sailplane.

DATES: Effective August 1, 1998.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of August 1,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Service information that

applies to this AD may be obtained from

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau,

6416 Poppenhausen, Wasserkuppe,

Federal Republic of Germany. This

information may also be examined at

the Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA), Central Region, Office of the

Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules

Docket No. 98–CE–04–AD, Room 1558,

601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri

64106; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW,

suite 700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Mike Kiesov, Project Officer, FAA,

Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service, 1201 Walnut, suite

900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106;

telephone: (816) 426–6934; facsimile:

(816) 426–2169.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Events Leading to the Issuance of This

AD

A proposal to amend part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

part 39) to include an AD that would

apply to certain Alexander Schleicher

Model AS–K13 sailplanes was

published in the Federal Register as a

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)

on April 2, 1998 (63 FR 16163). The

NPRM proposed to require inspecting

the main spar fitting for excessive

tolerance, traces, movement, etc., and

repairing the main fitting if any of the

above conditions exist.

Accomplishment of the proposed action

as specified in the NPRM would be in

accordance with Sportflugzeugbau JUBI

GmbH AS–K13 Service Bulletin No. 13,

dated December 19, 1990.

The NPRM was the result of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information (MCAI) issued by the

airworthiness authority for Germany.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposed rule or the FAA’s

determination of the cost to the public.

The FAA’s Determination

After careful review of all available

information related to the subject

presented above, the FAA has

determined that air safety and the

public interest require the adoption of

the rule as proposed except for minor

editorial corrections. The FAA has

determined that these minor corrections

will not change the meaning of the AD

and will not add any additional burden

upon the public than was already

proposed.

Compliance Time of This AD

Although the problems identified

with the main spar fitting will only be

unsafe during flight, this condition is

not a result of the number of times the

sailplane is operated. The chance of this

situation occurring is the same for a

sailplane with 10 hours time-in-service

(TIS) as it is for a sailplane with 500

hours TIS. For this reason, the FAA has

determined that a compliance based on

calendar time should be utilized in this

AD in order to assure that the unsafe

condition is addressed on all gliders in

a reasonable time period.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 2 sailplanes

in the U.S. registry will be affected by

this AD, that it will take approximately

5 workhours per sailplane to

accomplish this inspection, and that the

average labor rate is approximately $60

an hour. Based on these figures, the total

cost impact of this inspection on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $600, or

$300 per sailplane.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations adopted herein will

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 final rule does

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)

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 final

evaluation prepared for this action is

contained 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, Incorporation by reference,

Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends 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:

98–13–05 Alexander Schleicher

Segelflugzeugbau: Amendment 39–

10593; Docket No. 98-CE–04–AD.

Applicability: Model AS–K13 sailplanes,

serial numbers 13618 through 13689 (with or

without an A.B. suffix), 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
32720 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 115 /Tuesday, June 16, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (d) 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 main spar caused

by excessive movement of the main spar

fitting, which could result in loss of control

of the sailplane, accomplish the following:

(a) Within the next 6 calendar months after

the effective date of this AD, inspect the main

spar fitting for excessive tolerance, traces,

movement, etc., in accordance with

Sportflugzeugbau JUBI GmbH AS–K13

Service Bulletin No. 13, dated December 19,

1990.

(b) If any excessive tolerance, traces,

movement, etc., is found in the area of the

main spar fitting during the inspection

required by paragraph (a) of this AD, prior to

further flight, accomplish the following:

(1) Obtain a repair scheme from the

manufacturer through the FAA, Small

Airplane Directorate, at the address specified

in paragraph (d) of this AD; and

(2) Incorporate this scheme in accordance

with the instructions to the repair scheme.

(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 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.

(e) Questions or technical information

related to Sportflugzeugbau JUBI GmbH AS–

K13 Service Bulletin No. 13, dated December

19, 1990, should be directed to Alexander

Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau, 6416

Poppenhausen, Wasserkuppe, Federal

Republic of Germany. 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.

(f) The inspection required by this AD shall

be done in accordance with Sportflugzeugbau

JUBI GmbH AS–K13 Service Bulletin No. 13,

dated December 19, 1990. This incorporation

by reference was approved by the Director of

the Federal Register in accordance with 5

U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may

be obtained from Alexander Schleicher

Segelflugzeugbau, 6416 Poppenhausen,

Wasserkuppe, Federal Republic of Germany.

Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Central

Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room

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

Missouri, or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, suite

700, Washington, DC.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in German AD 91–144, dated July 31, 1991.

(g) This amendment becomes effective on

August 1, 1998.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 8,

1998.

Michael Gallagher,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15889 Filed 6–15–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–133–AD; Amendment

39–10592; AD 98–13–04

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Glaser-Dirks

Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG–100

and DG–400 Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that

applies to all Glaser-Dirks Flugzeugbau

GmbH (Glaser-Dirks) Models DG–100

and DG–400 gliders. This AD requires

repetitively inspecting the airbrakes to

assure they retract at their outboard end

first, and repairing the airbrakes if they

do not retract at their outboard end first;

and repetitively inspecting the airbrake

torque tube in the fuselage for cracks or

deformations, and reinforcing or

replacing, as necessary, if cracks or

deformations are found in the airbrake

torque tube. This AD is the result of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information (MCAI) issued by the

airworthiness authority for Germany.

The actions specified by this AD are

intended to prevent overloading of the

airbrake control system caused by free

play between the bellcrank and airbrake

plate, which could result in failure of

the operating lever of the airbrake

torque tube in the fuselage.

DATES: Effective August 2, 1998.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of August 2,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Service information that

applies to this 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 may

also be examined at the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA), Central

Region, Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–

133–AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at the

Office of the Federal Register, 800 North

Capitol Street, NW, suite 700,

Washington, DC.

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:

Events Leading to the Issuance of This

AD

A proposal to amend part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

part 39) to include an AD that would

apply to all Glaser-Dirks Models DG–

100 and DG–400 gliders airplanes was

published in the Federal Register as a

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)

on April 1, 1998 (63 FR 15793). The

NPRM proposed to require repetitively

inspecting the airbrakes to assure they

retract at their outboard end first, and

repairing the airbrakes if they do not

retract at their outboard end first; and

repetitively inspecting the airbrake

torque tube in the fuselage for cracks or

deformations, and reinforcing or

replacing, as necessary, if cracks or

deformations are found in the airbrake

torque tube. Accomplishment of the

proposed action as specified in the

NPRM would be in accordance with DGFlugzeugbau Technical Note No. 301/

18, No. 323/9, and No. 826/34, dated

November 4, 1996.

The NPRM was the result of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information (MCAI) issued by the

airworthiness authority for Germany.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposed rule or the FAA’s

determination of the cost to the public.

The FAA’s Determination

After careful review of all available

information related to the subject

presented above, the FAA has

determined that air safety and the

public interest require the adoption of

the rule as proposed except for minor

editorial corrections. The FAA has

determined that these minor corrections