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2010-15-06 GROB-WERKE GMBH & CO KG:
Amendment 39-16372; Docket No. FAA-2010-0458; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-023-AD. 
EFFECTIVE DATE

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective September 9, 2010.

AFFECTED ADS

(b) None.

APPLICABILITY

(c) This  AD  applies  to GROB-WERKE GMBH & CO KG Models G102 ASTIR CS and
    G102 STANDARD ASTIR III gliders, all serial numbers, that are:

(1) certificated in any category; and

(2) have  water  ballast  equipment installed (the water ballast equipment
    could have been included as part of an option).

SUBJECT

(d) Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 41: Water Ballast.

REASON

(e) The mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) states:

    During an annual inspection, a water ballast hose connector was  found
    disconnected from the fuselage wall of an Astir CS.

    The investigation has shown that the hose-fuselage connection  bonding
    has been degraded over years of service.

    This  condition,  if  not  corrected,  could  lead  to  the  following
    consequences:

    --The  water contained  in  the  wing tanks  could run  down into  the
    fuselage and  fuselage tail  which could  cause a  displacement of the
    sailplane center of gravity and  consequently may lead to the  loss of
    the sailplane controllability, or/and

    --The  loosened  hose may  jam  the flight  controls  (push rods)  and
    consequently may lead to the loss of the sailplane controllability.

    For the reason  stated above, the  original issue of  this AD required
    the inspection  of the  waterballast system  hose-fuselage connections
    and the accomplishment of the relevant corrective actions (repair)  as
    necessary.

    This AD  is revised  to clarify  the purpose  of the  insertion of the
    repetitive inspection  in the  Aircraft Maintenance  Programme and  to
    refer  to  a more  appropriate  scheduled maintenance  review  for the
    insertion of  the repetitive  inspection in  the Aircraft  Maintenance
    Programme.

ACTIONS AND COMPLIANCE

(f) Unless already done, do the following actions:

(1) Within 30 days after September 9, 2010 (the effective date of this AD)
    and  repetitively thereafter  at intervals  not to  exceed 12  months,
    inspect the bonding between  the water ballast system  hose connectors
    and  the fuselage  wall connectors  for correct  and tight  connection
    following  paragraph 1.8  of Grob  Aircraft Service  Bulletin No.  MSB
    -GROB-003, dated October 21, 2009.

(2) If, during any inspection required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, any
    weak bonding is  found, before further  flight, repair the  connection
    between the water ballast system hose connectors and the fuselage wall
    connectors  following  the  instructions  of  paragraph  1.8  of  Grob
    Aircraft Service Bulletin No. MSB-GROB-003, dated October 21, 2009.

(3) After  September 9, 2010  (the  effective  date  of  this  AD),   when
    installing a water  ballast system on  any affected sailplane,  ensure
    that the water  ballast system hose  connectors and the  fuselage wall
    connector are properly and tightly bonded.

(4) Within 30 days after September 9, 2010 (the  effective  date  of  this
    AD),  insert the  following scheduled  maintenance task  into the  FAA
    -approved aircraft maintenance program: "During each annual inspection
    and without exceeding a 12-month interval, inspect the bonding between
    the  water  ballast  system  hose  connectors  and  the  fuselage wall
    connectors for correct and  tight connection. Repair any  incorrect or
    loose connection."

FAA AD DIFFERENCES

NOTE: This AD differs from the MCAI and/or service information as follows:
No differences.

OTHER FAA AD PROVISIONS

(g) The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of  Compliance  (AMOCs):  The  Manager,  Standards
    Office,  FAA, has  the authority  to approve  AMOCs  for  this AD,  if
    requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information
    to  ATTN:  Greg  Davison,  Aerospace  Engineer,  FAA,  Small  Airplane
    Directorate,  901  Locust,  Room  301,  Kansas  City,  Missouri 64106;
    telephone:  (816)  329-4130;  fax: (816)  329-4090.  Before  using any
    approved AMOC on any airplane  to which the AMOC applies,  notify your
    appropriate  principal  inspector  (PI) in  the  FAA  Flight Standards
    District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective
    actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these actions if they
    are FAA-approved.  Corrective actions  are considered  FAA-approved if
    they are approved by the State of Design Authority (or their delegated
    agent). You are required to assure the product is airworthy before  it
    is returned to service.

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any  reporting  requirement  in  this  AD,
    under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
    seq.), the  Office of  Management and  Budget (OMB)  has approved  the
    information  collection  requirements  and  has  assigned  OMB Control
    Number 2120-0056.

RELATED INFORMATION

(h) Refer  to  MCAI  European Aviation Safety Agency AD No.:  2010-0053R1,
    dated April 14, 2010; and Grob Aircraft Service Bulletin No.  MSB-GROB
    -003, dated October 21, 2009, for related information.

MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

(i) You  must  use Grob Aircraft Service Bulletin No. MSB-GROB-003,  dated
    October 21, 2009, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD
    specifies otherwise.

(1) The Director of the Federal Register  approved  the  incorporation  by
    reference of this service information under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1  CFR
    part 51.

(2) For service information identified in this AD,  contact Grob Aircraft,
    Head of  Customer Service  & Support,  Lettenbachstr. 9,  Tussenhausen
    -Mattsies, Germany; telephone: +49 (0) 8268 998 139; fax: +49 (0) 8268
    998 200; E-mail: productsupport@grob-aircraft.com; Internet:  www.grob
    -aircraft.com and/or http://www.firecmm.com.

(3) You  may  review  copies  of  the  service information incorporated by
    reference  for this  AD at  the FAA,  Central Region,  Office  of  the
    Regional  Counsel,  901  Locust,  Kansas  City,  Missouri  64106.  For
    information  on  the  availability of  this  material  at the  Central
    Region, call (816) 329-3768.

(4) You may also review copies of  the service information incorporated by
    reference  for  this   AD  at  the   National  Archives  and   Records
    Administration (NARA).  For information  on the  availability of  this
    material   at  NARA,   call  (202)   741-6030,  or   go  to:   http://
    www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/
    ibr_locations.html.

Issued in  Kansas City,  Missouri, on  July 15,  2010. Kim Smith, Manager,
Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

During an annual inspection, a water ballast hose connector was found disconnected from the fuselage wall of an Astir CS.
The investigation has shown that the hose-fuselage connection bonding has been degraded over years of service.
This condition, if not corrected, could lead to the following consequences:

--The water contained in the wing tanks could run down into the fuselage and fuselage tail which could cause a displacement of the sailplane center of gravity and consequently may lead to the loss of the sailplane controllability, or/and
--The loosened hose may jam the flight controls (push rods) and consequently may lead to the loss of the sailplane controllability.

We are issuing this AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective September 9, 2010.
On September 9, 2010, the Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http:// www.regulations.gov or in person at Document Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on May 3, 2010 (75 FR 23194). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

During an annual inspection, a water ballast hose connector was found disconnected from the fuselage wall of an Astir CS.
The investigation has shown that the hose-fuselage connection bonding has been degraded over years of service.
This condition, if not corrected, could lead to the following consequences:

--The water contained in the wing tanks could run down into the fuselage and fuselage tail which could cause a displacement of the sailplane center of gravity and consequently may lead to the loss of the sailplane controllability, or/and
--The loosened hose may jam the flight controls (push rods) and consequently may lead to the loss of the sailplane controllability.

For the reason stated above, the original issue of this AD required the inspection of the waterballast system hose-fuselage connections and the accomplishment of the relevant corrective actions (repair) as necessary.
This AD is revised to clarify the purpose of the insertion of the repetitive inspection in the Aircraft Maintenance Programme and to refer to a more appropriate scheduled maintenance review for the insertion of the repetitive inspection in the Aircraft Maintenance Programme.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

We have reviewed the MCAI and related service information and, in general, agree with their substance. But we might have found it necessary to use different words from those in the MCAI to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. operators and is enforceable. In making these changes, we do not intend to differ substantively from the information provided in the MCAI and related service information.
We might also have required different actions in this AD from those in the MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. Any such differences are highlighted in a Note within the AD.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 113 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators to be $9,605 or $85 per product.
In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would take about 1 work-hour and require parts costing $5, for a cost of $90 per product. We have no way of determining the number of products that may need these actions.

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.
We are 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

We 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.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify this AD:
(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) 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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http:// www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains the NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new AD: