[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 61 (Thursday, March 30, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16395-16396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7787]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94-CE-32-AD]


Airworthiness Directives; Stemme S10 Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) that would apply to certain Stemme S10 gliders. The proposed 
action would require modifying the rudder control cable system. Rupture 
of a turnbuckle eye bolt in the rudder control cable system on one of 
the affected gliders prompted the proposed action. The actions 
specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent rudder control 
cable system failure caused by rupture of the turnbuckle eye bolt, 
which, if not detected and corrected, could result in loss of rudder 
control.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 16, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-32-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 Stemme GmbH & Co. KG, Flugplatz Gebaude 47, D-15344 Staussberg, 
Germany. This information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at 
the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Herman C. Belderok, Project 
Officer, Gliders, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, FAA, 1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone (816) 426-6932; 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. 94-CE-32-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 Assistant Chief Counsel, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-CE-32-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion

    The Luftfarht-Bundesant (LBA), which is the airworthiness authority 
for Germany, recently notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may 
exist on Stemme S10 gliders. The LBA reports that the rudder control 
cable turnbuckle eye bolt ruptured on one of the affected gliders, 
which resulted in loss of rudder control. Under the current 
configuration, the rudder control cables from the right and left pedals 
meet at the turnbuckle in the tailboom in a way that subjects the 
turnbuckle eye bolt to resistant forces (tensile and bending) that 
could pull the bolt from the rudder assembly. If not detected and 
corrected, rudder control cable turnbuckle eye bolt rupture could 
result in rudder control cable system failure and subsequent loss of 
rudder control.
    Stemme has issued Service Bulletin (SB) A31-10-018, dated June 3, 
1994, which specifies procedures for modifying the rudder control cable 
system on these S10 gliders. Pages 1-3 of this service bulletin are 
written in German and pages 4-6 are English translations. The LBA 
classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued LBA AD 94-260, 
dated August 25, 1994, 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 
section 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 Stemme S10 gliders of the same type design, 
the proposed AD would require modifying the rudder control cable 
system. The proposed action would be accomplished in accordance with 
the instructions to Stemme SB A31-10-018 (pages 4-6), dated June 3, 
1994.
    The FAA estimates that 3 gliders in the U.S. registry would be 
affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 4 
workhours per glider to accomplish the proposed action, and that the 
average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. Parts cost 
approximately $56 per glider. Based on these figures, the total cost 
impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $888 
($296 per airplane). This figure is based on the assumption that no 
affected owner/operator of the affected gliders has incorporated the 
proposed modification.
    The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct 
effects on the States, on the relationship [[Page 16396]] 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.


Sec. 39.13  [AMENDED]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new AD to read as follows:

Stemme: Docket No. 94-CE-32-AD.

    Applicability: S10 gliders (serial numbers 10-03 through 10-58), 
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 use the authority 
provided in paragraph (c) of this AD to request approval from the 
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current 
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions 
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such 
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed 
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no 
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair 
remove any glider from the applicability of this AD.
    Compliance: Required upon the accumulation of 150 hours time-in-
service (TIS) or within the next 20 hours TIS after the effective 
date of this AD, whichever occurs later, unless already 
accomplished.
    To prevent rudder control cable system failure caused by rupture 
of the turnbuckle eye bolt, which, if not detected and corrected, 
could result in loss of rudder control, accomplish the following:
    (a) Modify the rudder control cable system in accordance with 
the instructions in Stemme Service Bulletin A31-10-018 (pages 4-6), 
dated June 3, 1994.
    (b) 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 glider 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 2: 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 Stemme GmbH & Co. 
KG, Flugplatz Gebaude 47, D-15344 Staussberg, 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 March 24, 1995.
Dwight A. Young,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 95-7787 Filed 3-29-95; 8:45 am]
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