EASA AD No.: 2013-0054

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1/3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Co nfirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Int ranet. 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0054

Date: 05 March 2013

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued b y EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Communit y, its Member States and of the European third countries that participate in the ac tivities of EASA under Article 66 of that Regulation.
This AD is issued in accordance with EU 748/2012, P art 21A.3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I , Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be en sured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Conseque ntly, no person may operate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordan ce with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwi se specified by the Agency [EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, A rticle 14(4) exemption]. 

### Design Approval Holder’s Name:

SCHEMPP-HIRTH FLUGZEUGBAU GmbH Type/Model designation(s):
Nimbus-4DT, Duo Discus T and Arcus T powered sailplanes

TCDS Number: EASA.A.063, EASA.A.074, EASA.A.532

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2013-0012 d ated 15 January 2013.



### ATA Sailplane Flight Manual / Maintenance Manual – Amen dment

Manufacturer(s): Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH

Applicability: Nimbus-4DT powered sailplanes, seria l numbers (S/N) 10 through 15 (inclusive). Duo Discus T powered sailplanes, S/N 1 through 240 (inclusive). Arcus T powered sailplanes, S/N 1, and S/N 3 throug h 30 (inclusive).

Reason: It was found that the accomplishment instru ctions provided to check the powered sailplane’s propeller hub and blades were n ot sufficient to detect cracks and/or other damage. The results of a subseq uent manual review revealed that some other operating instructions pro vided by the sailplane flight and maintenance manual were neither correct nor suf ficient.
This condition, if not corrected, could lead to ope ration of the powered sailplane outside its certified limits.
To address this unsafe condition, EASA issued AD 20 13-0012 to require amendment of sailplane flight- and maintenance manu als to correct the operating instruction deficiencies and inaccuracies and, for Arcus T sailplanes that had been repaired before the applicable mainte nance manual update, an elevator or wing flap hinge moment weight check, as applicable. Since that AD was published, Schempp-Hirth Flugzeug bau GmbH determined that Action 3 of the accomplishment instructions of Technical Note (Technische Mitteilung) (TN) 890-13, referenced for Duo Discus T sailplanes, was incorrect for S/N 1 through 174. To correct this erroneous ma intenance instruction, Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH issued TN 890-13 iss ue 2.EASA AD No.: 2013-0054

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2/3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Co nfirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Int ranet. For the reasons described above, this AD retains th e requirements of EASA AD 2013-0012, which is superseded, and requires, fo r certain Duo Discus T powered sailplanes, the use of instructions as prov ided in TN 890-13 issue 2.

Effective Date: 19 March 2013

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s): Required as indicated, unless accomplished previous ly: (1) Within the compliance times as defined in Appen dix 1 of this AD, accomplish each required action as identified in Ap pendix 1 of this AD, in accordance with the instructions of the referenced Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH TN, as applicable to the powered s ailplane type. (2) If, during accomplishment of any rudder, elevat or and wing flap hinge moment and weight check for Arcus T powered sailpla ne, in accordance with the instructions of Action 6 of TN A532-1, as required by the paragraph (1) of this AD, any discrepancy is detect ed, before next flight, correct the affected control surface hinge moment o r weight, as applicable, in accordance with approved maintenance instruction s. (3) For Duo Discus T powered sailplanes S/N 1 throu gh 174 (inclusive): Amendment of Duo Discus T powered sailplane Mainten ance Manual in accordance with the instructions of TN 890-13 at or iginal issue dated 15 October 2012 is not acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD. After the effective date of this AD, TN 89 0-13 issue 2 (or later approved issue) must be used. (4) For Duo Discus T powered sailplanes S/N 175 thr ough 240 (inclusive): Amendment of Duo Discus T powered sailplane Mainten ance Manual in accordance with the instructions of TN 890-13 at or iginal issue is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD. (5) Amendment of the powered sailplane flight and m aintenance manual and replacement of cockpit placards accomplished in acc ordance with the instructions of TN 868-21, TN 890-13 or TN A532-1, as applicable to the powered sailplane type, may be performed by the Pil ot-Owner according to the provisions of M.A.803 of Part M (annex I to Com mission Regulation (EC) No 2042/2003 of 20 November 2003).

Ref. Publications: Schempp-Hirth TN 868-21 for Nimb us-4DT, dated 15 October 2012, Schempp-Hirth TN 890-13 for Duo Discus T issued 15 October 2013, or issue 2 dated 11 February 2013, Schempp-Hirth TN A532-1 for Arcus T, issued 15 Octo ber 2012. The use of later approved revisions of these docume nts is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EA SA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD.
2. Based on the required actions and the compliance time, EASA have decided to issue a Final AD with Request for Commen ts, postponing the public consultation process until after publication

. 3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred t o the Safety Information Section, Executive Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu

. 4. For any question concerning the technical conten t of the requirements in this AD, please contact: SCHEMPP-HIRTH Flugzeugbau GmbH, Krebenstrasse 25, 7 3230 Kirchheim / Teck, GERMANY Telephone: +49 7021 7298-0, FAX: +49 7021 7298-199 e-mail: info@schempp-hirth.com

.EASA AD No.: 2013-0054

TE.CAP.00110-003 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3/3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Co nfirm revision status through the EASA-Internet/Int ranet. 

### Appendix 1 – Required Actions and Compliance Times

Powered sailplane type Required action Accomplishment instruction Compliance time

Nimbus-4DT Amend the powered sailplane flight and maintenance manual In accordance with TN 868-21, as applicable Within 30 days after

29 January 2013 [the effective date of AD 2013-0012]

Duo Discus T Amend the powered sailplane flight manual In accordance with Action 1 of TN 890-13 Within 30 days after

29 January 2013 [the effective date of AD 2013-0012] Amend the powered sailplane flight and maintenance manual In accordance with Action 2 and Action 3 of TN 890-13

Within 60 days after

the effective date of this AD Replace cockpit placard In accordance with Action 4 of TN 890-13 Transfer weight and balance data from weight and balance report into the weight and balance log sheet In accordance with Action 5 of TN 890-13

Arcus T Amend the powered sailplane flight manual In accordance with Action 1 of TN A532-1 Within 30 days after

29 January 2013 [the effective date of AD 2013-0012] Amend the powered sailplane flight and maintenance manual In accordance with Action 2 and Action 3 of TN A532-1

Within 90 days after

29 January 2013 [the effective date of AD 2013-0012] Replace cockpit placard In accordance with Action 4 of TN A532-1 Transfer weight and balance data from weight and balance report into the weight and balance log sheet In accordance with Action 5 of TN A532-1

For powered sailplanes, on which, before 29 January 2013 [the effective date of AD 2013- 0012], rudder, elevator or wing flap repair were accomplished, perform a rudder, elevator and wing flap hinge moment and weight check In accordance with Action 6 of TN A532-1