Document ID: FAA-2017-0851-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Criteria: Glider Design Criteria for DG Flugzeugbau GmbH  Model DG-1000M Glider
Posted Date: 2017-09-21T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 182 (Thursday, September 21, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44126-44127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19951]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0851]

Airworthiness Criteria: Glider Design Criteria for DG Flugzeugbau 
GmbH Model DG-1000M Glider

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed design criteria.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests 
comments on the proposed design criteria for the DG Flugzeugbau GmbH 
model DG-1000M glider. The Administrator finds the proposed design 
criteria, which make up the certification basis for the DG-1000M 
glider, acceptable. These final design criteria will be published in 
the Federal Register.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0851 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery of Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information 
the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web 
site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments 
received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual 
sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement can 
be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Rutherford, AIR-692, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Policy & Innovation Division, Small Airplane 
Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106, 
telephone (816) 329-4165, facsimile (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by 
sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments 
reference a specific portion of the design criteria, explain the reason 
for any recommended change, and include supporting data. We ask that 
you send us two copies of written comments.
    We will consider all comments received on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change 
these airworthiness design criteria based on received comments.

Background

    On May 18, 2011, DG Flugzeugbau GmbH submitted an application for 
type validation of the DG-1000M glider in accordance with the Technical 
Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness and Environmental 
Certification Between the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA), dated May 05, 2011. This model is a variant of the DG-1000T 
powered glider and will be added to existing Type Certificate No. 
G20CE. The model DG-1000M is a two-seat, mid-wing, self-launching, 
powered glider with a retractable engine and fixed-pitch propeller. It 
is constructed from carbon and glass fiber reinforced plastic, and 
features a conventianl T-type tailplane. The glider also features a 
65.6 foot (20 meter) wingspan and a maximum weight of 1,742 pounds (790 
kilograms).
    The EASA type certificated the DG-1000M powered glider under Type 
Certificate Number (No.) EASA.A.072 on March 17, 2011. The associated 
EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) No. EASA.A.072 defines the DG 
Flugzeubau GmbH certification basis submitted to the FAA for review and 
acceptance.
    The applicable requirements for glider certification in the United 
States can be found in FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 21.17-2A, ``Type 
Certification--Fixed-Wing Gliders (Sailplanes), Including Powered 
Gliders,'' dated February 10, 1993. AC 21.17-2A has been the basis for 
certification of gliders and powered gliders in the United States for 
many years. AC 21.17-2A states that applicants may utilize the Joint 
Aviation Requirements (JAR)-22, ``Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes,'' 
or another accepted airworthiness criteria, or a combination of both, 
as the accepted means for showing compliance for glider type 
certification.

Type Certification Basis

    The applicant proposed a Certification Basis based on JAR-22, 
amendment 6, dated August 01, 2001. In addition to JAR-22 requirements, 
the applicant proposed to comply with other requirements from the 
certification basis referenced in EASA TCDS No. EASA.A.072, including 
an equivalent safety finding.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 21

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and record keeping 
requirements.

    The authority citation for these airworthiness criteria is as 
follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7572; 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40105, 
40113, 44701-44702, 44704, 44707, 44709, 44711, 44713, 44715, 45303.

The Proposed Design Criteria

    Applicable Airworthiness Criteria under Sec.  21.17(b).
    Based on the Special Class provisions of Sec.  21.17(b), the 
following airworthiness requirements form the FAA Certification Basis 
for this design:

    1. 14 CFR part 21, effective February 1, 1965, including 
amendments 21-1 through 21-92 as applicable.
    2. JAR-22, amendment 6, dated August 01, 2001.
    3. EASA Equivalent Safety Finding to JAR 22.207(c)--Stall 
warning. (FAA issued corresponding Equivalent Level of Safety (ELOS) 
Memorandum No. ACE-07-01A, dated April 02, 2012, as an extension to 
an existing ELOS finding).
    4. ``Standards for Structural Substantiation of Sailplane and 
Powered Sailplane Parts Consisting of Glass or Carbon Fiber

[[Page 44127]]

Reinforced Plastics,'' Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) document no. I4-
FVK/91, issued July 1991.
    5. ``Guideline for the analysis of the electrical system for 
powered sailplanes,'' LBA document no. I334-MS 92, issued September 
15, 1992.
    6. Operations allowed: VFR-Day, and ``Cloud Flying'' where 
``Cloud Flying'' is considered flying in Instrument Meteorological 
Conditions (IMC) and requires an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) 
clearance in the United States. This is permissible provided the 
pilot has the appropriate rating per 14 CFR 61.3, the glider 
contains the necessary equipment specified under 14 CFR 91.205, and 
the pilot complies with IFR requirements.
    7. EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. EASA.A.072, Issue 03, 
dated March 17, 2011.
    8. Date of application for FAA Type Certificate: May 18, 2011.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on September 12, 2017.
Pat Mullen,
Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-19951 Filed 9-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P