[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 207 (Friday, October 29, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59903-59905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23325]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0944; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00800-G]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & 
Co. KG (Type Certificate Previously Held by GROB Aircraft AG, Grob 
Aerospace GmbH i.l., Grob Aerospace GmbH, Burkhart Grob Luft-und 
Raumfahrt GmbH & Co. KG) Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG (type 
certificate previously held by GROB Aircraft AG, Grob Aerospace GmbH 
i.l., Grob Aerospace GmbH, Burkhart Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH & Co. 
KG) Model G102 ASTIR CS, G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103 TWIN II, G103A TWIN II 
ACRO, G103C TWIN III ACRO, and G 103 C TWIN III SL gliders. This 
proposed AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country 
to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The 
MCAI describes the unsafe condition as corrosion on the elevator 
control pushrod. This proposed AD would require inspecting the elevator 
control pushrod for water and corrosion and replacing the pushrod if 
necessary. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition 
on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 
13, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Fiberglas-
Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG, Steige 3, D-88487 Walpertshofen, 
Germany; phone: +49 (0) 7353 22 43; email: Lindner.com">[email protected]Lindner.com; 
website: https://www.ltb-lindner.com. You may view this service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on 
the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0944; or in person at 
Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this NPRM, the MCAI, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International 
Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; 
phone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-0944; Project Identifier 
MCAI-2020-00800-G'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any

[[Page 59904]]

personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report 
summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Jim 
Rutherford, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & 
Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, 
Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives 
which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the 
public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued 
EASA AD 2020-0138, dated June 19, 2020 (referred to after this as ``the 
MCAI''), to address an unsafe condition on Fiberglas-Technik R. Lindner 
GmbH & Co. KG Model ASTIR CS, ASTIR CS 77, ASTIR CS Jeans, CLUB ASTIR 
II, STANDARD ASTIR II, TWIN ASTIR, TWIN ASTIR TRAINER, GROB G 103 
``TWIN II,'' GROB G 103 A ``TWIN II ACRO,'' GROB G 103 C ``TWIN III,'' 
GROB G 103 C ``TWIN III ACRO,'' GROB G 103 C TWIN III SL, ASTIR CS 77 
TOP, ASTIR CS JEANS TOP, and ASTIR CS TOP gliders. The MCAI states:

    During a routine inspection, a severely corroded elevator 
control pushrod was found in the vertical fin on a Grob TWIN ASTIR 
sailplane. The technical investigation results revealed that water 
had soaked into the elevator control pushrod, causing the corrosion 
damage and subsequent considerable weakening of the steel tube 
pushrod.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of the elevator control pushrod, possibly resulting in loss 
of control of the sailplane.
    To address this unsafe condition, Fiberglas-Technik R. Lindner 
GmbH & Co.KG published the [technische mitteilung/service bulletin] 
TM/SB and [anweisung/instructions] A/I-G09, at original issue, 
providing instructions for elevator control pushrod inspection and 
replacement. Prompted by this development, EASA issued AD 2020-0121 
to require a one-time inspection of the elevator control pushrod in 
the vertical fin and, depending on findings, replacement.
    After EASA AD 2020-0121 was issued, it was determined that Grob 
G 103 ``TWIN II'' sailplanes, and additional Grob G 103 A ``TWIN II 
ACRO'' sailplanes, are also prone to elevator control pushrod 
corrosion and Fiberglas-Technik R.Lindner GmbH & Co.KG issued the 
TM/SB to make the inspection instructions applicable to these 
sailplane models.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD retains the 
requirements of EASA AD 2020-0121, which is superseded, and expands 
the Applicability.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0944.

FAA's Determination

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it 
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM 
after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner Anweisung/
Instructions (A/I-G09), Revision 1, dated May 14, 2020. This service 
information provides instructions to inspect the elevator control 
pushrod for water and corrosion, replace the elevator control pushrod 
if any water or corrosion is found, and apply corrosion prevention if 
no water and no corrosion are found. This service information is 
reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it 
through their normal course of business or by the means identified in 
ADDRESSES.

Other Related Service Information

    The FAA also reviewed Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner Service 
Bulletin (SB-G09), Revision 1, dated May 14, 2020. This service 
information refers to the instructions in A/I-G09 to inspect and 
replace the elevator control pushrod on various gliders.
    The FAA reviewed Grob TFE Service Bulletin TM 315-34, dated 
December 8, 1987. This service information provides effectivity, 
reason, and high-level instructions for inspecting and replacing the 
elevator control pushrod on certain Model G 103 A TWIN II ACRO gliders.
    The FAA reviewed Grob TFE Repair Instructions No. 315-34 for 
Service Bulletin TM 315-34, dated December 8, 1987. This service 
information provides more detailed instructions for inspecting and 
replacing the elevator control pushrod on certain Model G 103 A TWIN II 
ACRO gliders.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require inspecting the elevator control 
pushrod and replacing it if water or corrosion are found.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

    The MCAI applies to Model ASTIR CS 77, ASTIR CS Jeans, CLUB ASTIR 
II, STANDARD ASTIR II, TWIN ASTIR TRAINER, GROB G 103 C ``TWIN III,'' 
ASTIR CS 77 TOP, ASTIR CS JEANS TOP, and ASTIR CS TOP gliders. This 
proposed AD would not apply to these model gliders because they do not 
have an FAA type certificate.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 149 gliders of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates that it would 
take about 4 work-hours per glider to inspect the elevator control 
pushrod and require parts costing $100. The average labor rate is $85 
per work-hour. Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost to 
inspect the elevator control pushrod on U.S. operators to be $65,560 or 
$440 per glider.
    In addition, the FAA estimates that for gliders with water or 
corrosion within the elevator control pushrod, replacement would take 
about 8 work-hours and require parts costing $500. The average labor 
rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on these figures, the FAA estimates 
the replacement of this proposed AD to be $1,180 per glider.

Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs, 
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

[[Page 59905]]

    The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements. 
Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight 
of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for 
practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary 
for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that 
authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to 
exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would not 
have a substantial direct effect 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify this proposed 
regulation:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866,
    (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or 
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by GROB Aircraft AG, Grob Aerospace GmbH i.l., Grob 
Aerospace GmbH, Burkhart Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH & Co. KG): 
Docket No. FAA-2021-0944; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00800-G.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by December 13, 2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following gliders, all serial numbers, 
certificated in any category:
    (1) Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG (type 
certificate previously held by GROB Aircraft AG, Grob Aerospace GmbH 
i.l., Grob Aerospace GmbH, Burkhart Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH & 
Co. KG, GROB TFE, GROB-WERKE GMBH & CO KG (a division of Burkhart 
Grob Flugzeugbau)) Model G102 ASTIR CS.
    (2) Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG (type 
certificate previously held by GROB Aircraft AG, Grob Aerospace GmbH 
i.l., Grob Aerospace GmbH, Burkhart Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH & 
Co. KG)) Model G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103 TWIN II, G103A TWIN II ACRO, 
G103 C TWIN III ACRO, and G 103 C TWIN III SL.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2730, Elevator 
Control System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as corrosion on the 
elevator control pushrod. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, 
could result in failure of the elevator control pushrod and loss of 
control of the glider.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    (1) Within 25 hours time in service (TIS) after the effective 
date of this AD, inspect the elevator control pushrod in the 
vertical fin for water and corrosion, and replace the elevator 
control pushrod before further flight if there is any water or 
corrosion in accordance with the Actions and Instructions, paragraph 
3, of Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner Anweisung/Instructions (A/I-
G09), Revision 1, dated May 14, 2020.
    (2) If no water and no corrosion is detected, before further 
flight, treat the inside of the elevator control pushrod with 
corrosion preventative LPS 3 or equivalent.
    (3) If required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, you must replace 
the elevator control pushrod before further flight with an elevator 
control pushrod that has zero hours TIS or with an elevator control 
pushrod that has passed the inspection in accordance with paragraphs 
(g)(1) and (2) of this AD.

(h) Credit for Previous Actions

    You may take credit for the actions required by paragraphs 
(g)(1) and (2) of this AD if you performed these actions before the 
effective date of this AD using Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner 
Anweisung/Instructions (A/I-G09), dated April 8, 2020.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the manager of the certification office, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD or 
email: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Jim Rutherford, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, 
International Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 
2020-0138, dated June 19, 2020, for more information. You may 
examine the EASA AD in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2021-0944.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Fiberglas-Technik Rudolf Lindner GmbH & Co. KG, Steige 3, D-88487 
Walpertshofen, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 7353 22 43; email: Lindner.com">[email protected]Lindner.com; website: https://www.ltb-lindner.com. You may view this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products 
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 
64106. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

    Issued on October 21, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23325 Filed 10-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


