Airworthiness Directives; Burkhart Grob Luft-und Raumfahrt GmbH & CO KG Models G103 Twin Astir, G103 Twin II, G103A Twin II Acro, and G103C Twin III Acro Sailplanes

[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56152-56154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24283]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD; Amendment 39-13317; AD 2003-19-14]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Burkhart Grob Luft--und Raumfahrt GmbH 
& CO KG Models G103 Twin Astir, G103 Twin II, G103A Twin II Acro, and 
G103C Twin III Acro Sailplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
BURKHART GROB LUFT--UND RAUMFAHRT GmbH & CO KG (GROB) Models G103 TWIN 
ASTIR, G103 TWIN II, G103A TWIN II ACRO, and G103C TWIN III ACRO 
sailplanes. This AD requires you to modify the airspeed indicators and 
install a flight speed reduction placard and an aerobatic maneuver 
restriction placard (as applicable). This AD also requires you to 
revise the flight and maintenance manual. This AD is the result of 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the 
airworthiness authority for Germany. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
the possibility of damage to the fuselage during limit load flight due 
to inadequate safety margins designed into the fuselage. Such a 
condition could result in reduced structural integrity of the fuselage 
and lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on October 20, 2003.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the regulation as of 
October 20, 2003.
    We must receive any comments on this proposed AD by October 31, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following to submit comments on this AD:
    [sbull] By mail: FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD, 901 Locust, Room 
506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
    [sbull] By fax: (816) 329-3771.
    [sbull] By e-mail: [email protected]. Comments sent 
electronically must contain ``Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD'' in the subject 
line. If you send comments electronically as attached electronic files, 
the files must be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows or ASCII.

[[Page 56153]]

    You may get the service information identified in this AD from GROB 
Luft-und Raumfahrt, Lettenbachstrasse 9, D-86874 Tussenhausen-Mattsies, 
Germany; telephone: 011 49 8268 998139; facsimile: 011 49 8268 998200; 
email: [email protected].
    You may view the AD docket at FAA, Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD, 901 
Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Office hours are 8 a.m. 
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory A. Davison, Aerospace 
Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4130; facsimile: (816) 329-
4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    What events have caused this AD? The LBA, which is the 
airworthiness authority for Germany, recently notified FAA that an 
unsafe condition may exist on all GROB Models G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103 
TWIN II, G103A TWIN II ACRO, and G103C TWIN III 2 ACRO sailplanes. The 
LBA reports that the safety margins established into the design of the 
fuselage may not be sufficient to sustain limit loads during certain 
maneuvers and during flight at certain speeds.
    The manufacturer will continue to investigate the effects of 
certain flight conditions on the fuselage structure. After completing 
this investigation, FAA may take additional AD action.
    What are the consequences if the condition is not corrected? If not 
prevented, damage to the fuselage could result in reduced structural 
integrity. This condition could lead to loss of control of the 
sailplane.
    Is there service information that applies to this subject? GROB has 
issued Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB315-63/2, dated June 2, 2003, and 
Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB315-64, dated June 30, 2003.
    What are the provisions of this service information? These service 
bulletins include procedures for:

--Modifying the air speed indicators;
--Installing placards restricting flight speeds, prohibiting aerobatic 
maneuvers, and restricting load limits; and
--Incorporating revisions to the flight and maintenance manuals.

    What action did the LBA take? The LBA classified these service 
bulletins as mandatory and issued German AD Number 2003-185, dated May 
30, 2003, and German AD Number 2003-231, dated July 16, 2003, in order 
to ensure the continued airworthiness of these sailplanes in Germany.
    Was this in accordance with the bilateral airworthiness agreement? 
These GROB Models G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103 TWIN II, G103A TWIN II ACRO, 
and G103C TWIN III ACRO sailplanes are manufactured in Germany and are 
type-certificated for operation in the United States under the 
provisions of Sec.  21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 
21.29) and the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement.
    Per this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the LBA has kept us 
informed of the situation described above.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    What has FAA decided? We have examined the LBA's findings, 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 the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist 
or develop on other GROB Models G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103 TWIN II, G103A 
TWIN II ACRO, and G103C TWIN III ACRO sailplanes of the same type 
design that are registered in the United States, this AD is being 
issued to prevent the possibility of damage to the fuselage during 
limit load flight due to inadequate safety margins designed into the 
fuselage. Such a condition could result in reduced structural integrity 
of the fuselage and lead to loss of control of the sailplane.
    What does this AD require? This AD requires you to incorporate the 
actions in the previously-referenced service bulletins.
    In preparation of this rule, we contacted type clubs and aircraft 
operators to obtain technical information and information on 
operational and economic impacts. We did not receive any information 
through these contacts. If received, we would have included, in the 
rulemaking docket, a discussion of any information that may have 
influenced this action.
    What are the differences between this AD, the LBA AD, and the 
service information? The LBA AD and the service information require 
completion of the actions required in this AD prior to further flight. 
We require completion of all actions within the next 10 hours time-in-
service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD.
    We do not have justification to require this action prior to 
further flight. We use compliance times such as this when we have 
identified an urgent safety of flight situation. We believe that 10 
hours TIS will give the owners or operators of the affected airplanes 
enough time to have the actions required by this AD accomplished 
without compromising the safety of the airplanes.
    How does the revision to 14 CFR part 39 affect this proposed AD? On 
July 10, 2002, we published a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 FR 
47997, July 22, 2002), which governs FAA's AD system. This regulation 
now includes material that relates to altered products, special flight 
permits, and alternative methods of compliance. This material 
previously was included in each individual AD. Since this material is 
included in 14 CFR part 39, we will not include it in future AD 
actions.

Comments Invited

    Will I have the opportunity to comment prior to the issuance of the 
rule? This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting 
flight safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for 
public comment; however, we invite you to submit any written relevant 
data, views, or arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an 
address listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``AD Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD'' 
in the subject line of your comments. If you want us to acknowledge 
receipt of your mailed comments, send us a self-addressed, stamped 
postcard with the docket number written on it; we will date-stamp your 
postcard and mail it back to you. We specifically invite comments on 
the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of 
the rule that might suggest a need to modify it. If a person contacts 
us through a nonwritten communication, and that contact relates to a 
substantive part of this AD, we will summarize the contact and place 
the summary in the docket. We will consider all comments received by 
the closing date and may amend the AD in light of those comments.

Regulatory Findings

    Will this AD impact various entities? We have determined that this 
AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. 
This AD will 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.

[[Page 56154]]

    Will this proposed AD involve a significant rule or regulatory 
action? For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
    3. 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.
    We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD and 
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by 
sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include 
``AD Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD'' in your request.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (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 (AD):

2003-19-14 Burkhart Grob Luft--und Raumfahrt Gmbh & Co KG: Amendment 
39-13317; Docket No. 2003-CE-35-AD.

When Does This AD Become Effective?

    (a) This AD becomes effective on October 20, 2003.

What Other ADs Are Affected By This Action?

    (b) None.

What Sailplanes Are Affected by This AD?

    (c) This AD affects the following sailplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Model                             Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G103 TWIN ASTIR.............................  All.
G103 TWIN II................................  All.
G103A TWIN II ACRO..........................  All.
G103C TWIN III ACRO.........................  All.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Is The Unsafe Condition Presented in This AD?

    (d) This AD is the result of mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for 
Germany. We are issuing this AD to prevent the possibility of damage 
to the fuselage during limit load flight due to inadequate safety 
margins designed into the fuselage. Such a condition could result in 
reduced structural integrity of the fuselage and lead to loss of 
control of the sailplane.

What Must I Do To Address This Problem?

    (e) To address this problem, you must accomplish the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modify the airspeed           Within the next 10    Per GROB Alert
 indicators; install flight    hours time-in-        Service Bulletin
 speed, aerobatic maneuver,    service (TIS) after   No. ASB315-63/2,
 and load limit restriction    October 20, 2003      dated June 2, 2003,
 placards (as applicable);     (the effective date   and Alert Service
 and revise the flight and     of this AD).          Bulletin No. ASB315-
 maintenance manual (as                              64, dated June 30,
 applicable).                                        2003.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What About Alternative Methods of Compliance?

    (f) You may request a different method of compliance or a 
different compliance time for this AD by following the procedures in 
14 CFR 39.13. Send your request to the Manager, Standards Office, 
Small Airplane Directorate, FAA. For information on any already 
approved alternative methods of compliance, contact Gregory A. 
Davison, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 
Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-
4130; facsimile: (816) 329-4090.

Is There Material Incorporated by Reference?

    (g) You must do the actions required by this AD must be done in 
accordance with GROB Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB315-63/2, dated 
June 2, 2003, and GROB Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB315-64, dated 
June 30, 2003. The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service bulletin in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. You may get a copy from GROB 
Luft-und Raumfahrt, Lettenbachstrasse 9, D-86874 Tussenhausen-
Mattsies, Germany; telephone: 011 49 8268 998139; facsimile: 011 49 
8268 998200; email: [email protected].
    You may review copies at FAA, Central Region, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, 
NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

Is There Other Information That Relates to This Subject?

    (h) German AD 2003-185, dated May 30, 2003, and German AD 2003-
231, dated July 16, 2003 also address the subject of this AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 19, 2003.
Michael Gallagher,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24283 Filed 9-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U

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