Document ID: FAA-2017-0863-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Criteria: Glider Design Criteria for Alexander Schleicher GmbH and Co. Models ASG 32 and ASG 32 Mi Gliders
Posted Date: 2017-09-06T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 42049-42050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18846]

 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 42049]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0863]

Airworthiness Criteria: Glider Design Criteria for Alexander 
Schleicher GmbH & Co. Models ASG 32 & ASG 32 Mi Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed design criteria.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests 
comments on the proposed design criteria for the Alexander Schleicher 
GmbH & Co. models ASG 32 & ASG 32 Mi gliders. The administrator finds 
the proposed design criteria, which make up the certification basis for 
the ASG 32 & ASG 32 Mi gliders, acceptable.These final design criteria 
will be published in the Federal Register.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0863 
using any of the following methods:
    [square] Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    [square] 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.
    [square] 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.
    [square] 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 August 23, 2016, Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. submitted an 
application for type validation of the ASG 32 glider and ASG 32 Mi 
powered glider in accordance with the Technical Implementation 
Procedures for Airworthiness and Environmental Certification Between 
the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Revision 5, 
dated September 15, 2015. Both models will be documented on a single 
type certificate. The model ASG 32 is a two-seat, mid-wing, glider 
constructed from carbon-, glass-, and synthetic-fiber reinforced 
plastic and features a 65.6 foot (20 meter) wingspan with flaps, 
double-panel Schempp-Hirth airbrakes on the upper wing surface, 
winglets, water ballast tanks in the wing, and optional tanks in the 
fuselage. The glider also features a retractable landing gear with 
hydraulic disc brakes and a conventional T-type tailplane. The model 
ASG 32 Mi adds a retractable engine and fixed pitch propeller mounted 
in the center fuselage behind the cockpit which allows the glider to be 
self-launching. Both glider versions have a maximum weight of 1,874 
pounds (850 kilograms). The EASA type certificated the ASG 32 and ASG 
32 Mi gliders under Type Certificate Number (No.) EASA.A.599 on 
February 11, 2016. The associated EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet 
(TCDS) No. EASA.A.599 defined the certification basis Alexander 
Schleicher GmbH & Co. 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 EASA 
Certification Specification (CS)-22, ``Sailplanes and Powered 
Sailplanes'', amendment 2, dated March 05, 2009. In addition to CS-22 
requirements, the applicant proposed to comply with other requirements 
from the certification basis referenced in EASA TCDS No. EASA.A.599, 
including special conditions and equivalent safety findings.

[[Page 42050]]

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 21-98 as applicable.
    2. EASA CS-22, amendment 2, dated March 05, 2009.
    3. EASA Special Condition No. SC-A.22.1.01, ``Increase in maximum 
mass for sailplanes and powered sailplanes.''
    4. EASA Equivalent Safety Finding to CS-22.335(f)--Alternate method 
to calculate the Design Maximum Speed (VD) using the 
Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol [aacute] 
Voile (OSTIV), Airworthiness Standards for Sailplanes, dated July 1997.
    5. EASA Equivalent Safety Finding to CS-22.585(a)--Alternate basis 
for lower towing loads and subsequent lower lauching hook attachment 
loads.
    6. ``Standards for Structural Substantiation of Sailplane and 
Powered Sailplane Parts Consisting of Glass or Carbon Fiber Reinforced 
Plastics,'' Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) document no. I4-FVK/91, issued 
July 1991.
    7. ``Guideline for the analysis of the electrical system for 
powered sailplanes,'' LBA document no. I334-MS 92, issued September 15, 
1992.
    8. Operations allowed: VFR-Day
    9. EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. EASA.A.599, Issue 02, dated 
March 17, 2016.
    10. Date of application for FAA Type Certificate: August 23, 2016.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on August 28, 2017.
William Schinstock,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-18846 Filed 9-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P