2556 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 1995 / Proposed Rules

entrapped in this area (eventual

corrosion). If not detected and corrected,

elevator inner hinge failure could lead

to loss of control of the glider.

Grob has issued Service Bulletin TM

817–25, dated November 9, 1987, which

includes Repair Instructions for

replacing the elevator inner hinges with

hinges of improved design. The LBA

classified this service bulletin as

mandatory and issued LBA AD 88–50,

dated March 14, 1988, in order to assure

the continued airworthiness of these

gliders in Germany.

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, and

determined that AD action is necessary

for products of this type design that are

certificated for operation in the United

States.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop in other Grob Model G109B

gliders of the same type design, the

proposed AD would require replacing

the elevator inner hinges with hinges of

improved design. The proposed action

would be accomplished in accordance

with Grob Repair Instructions No. 817–

25 for Service Bulletin TM 817–25,

dated November 9, 1987.

The unsafe condition referenced in

this proposed action is caused by both

stress loads and corrosion. Stress loads

are a direct result of airplane usage and

corrosion can occur regardless of

whether the airplane is utilized in flight

or is on the ground. With this in mind,

the FAA has determined that the

compliance time of the proposed AD

should be in both calendar time and

hours time-in-service (TIS).

The FAA estimates that 30 gliders in

the U.S. registry would be affected by

the proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 8 workhours per glider to

accomplish the proposed action, and

that the average labor rate is

approximately $60 an hour. Parts will

be provided by the manufacturer at no

cost to the operator. Based on these

figures, the total cost impact of the

proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $14,400. This figure is

based on the assumption that no

affected glider owner/operator has

accomplished the proposed replacement

of the elevator inner hinges.

Grob has informed the FAA that

approximately 20 of the affected gliders

already have the proposed replacement

incorporated. With this in mind, the

cost impact upon the public of the

proposed action would be reduced from

$14,400 to $5,280.

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. App. 1354(a), 1421

and 1423; 49 U.S.C. 106(g); and 14 CFR

11.89.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new AD to read as follows:

B. Grob Flugzeugrau: Docket No. 94–CE–30–

AD.

Applicability: Model G109B gliders, serial

numbers 6200 through 6445, certificated in

any category.

Compliance: Required within the next 25

hours time-in-service after the effective date

of this AD or the next 6 calendar months after

the effective date of this AD, whichever

occurs first, unless already accomplished.

To prevent failure of the elevator inner

hinges because of delamination or corrosion,

which, if not detected and corrected, could

lead to loss of control of the glider,

accomplish the following:

(a) Replace the elevator inner hinges (2)

with hinges of improved design, part number

109B–3550, in accordance with Grob Repair

Instructions No. 817–25 for Service Bulletin

TM 817–25, dated November 9, 1987.

Note: The service instructions of this AD

call for ‘‘the execution of the instructions to

be certified in the log-book by an authorized

inspector class 3.’’ This type of inspector is

not applicable in the United States and the

person accomplishing the AD is as outlined

in part 43 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(14 CFR part 43). This is not a change over

normal AD procedures.

(b) 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 gliders to a location

where the requirements of this AD can be

accomplished.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time 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

should be forwarded through an appropriate

FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add

comments and then send it to the Manager,

Small Airplane Directorate.

Note: Information concerning the existence

of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Small Airplane

Directorate.

(d) All persons affected by this directive

may obtain copies of the document referred

to herein upon request to B. Grob

Flugzeugbau, D–8939 Mattsies, Germany; or

may examine this document 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 January

4, 1995.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 95–519 Filed 1–9–95; 8:45 am]

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