DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0343; Directorate Identifier 2017-CE-005-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Gliders

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-400, DG-500M, DG-500MB, DG-800A, and DG-
800B gliders. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing
airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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 a
manufacturing defect in certain textile fabric covered fuel hoses,
which could cause the fuel hose to fail. We are issuing this proposed
AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these
products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact DG
Flugzeugbau GmbH, Otto-Lilienthal Weg 2, D-76646 Bruchsal, Germany;
telephone: +49 (0)7251 3202-0; email: info@dg-flugzeugbau.de; Internet:
http://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/en/?noredirect=en_US. You may review this
referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate,
901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 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 on the Internet at http://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-0343;
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 this proposed AD, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:
jim.rutherford@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2017-0343;
Directorate Identifier 2017-CE-005-AD" at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued AD
No.: 2016-0259, dated December 21, 2016 (referred to after this as
"the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified
products. The MCAI states:

During service and annual inspection, DG found that some fuel
hoses with textile fabric covering, installed from the beginning of
the year 2015, had become weak or untight with time. The suspected
root cause for this premature degradation is a manufacturing defect
of a certain batch of fuel hoses.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, may lead to
kinking of the fuel hoses, possibly resulting in a reduced fuel
supply and consequent partial or total loss of available power.

To address this unsafe condition, DG-Flugzeugbau published
Technical Note TN 800-44, 500-10, DG-SS-02 providing inspection and
replacement instructions.

For the reason described above, this AD requires inspection and
replacement of the affected fuel hoses.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-0343.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

DG Flugzeugbau GmbH has issued Technical note No. 800-44, 500-10,
DG-SS-02, are all dated November 9, 2016, and co-published as one
document. The service information describes procedures for inspecting
and replacing the fuel hoses. 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 the
ADDRESSES section of this NPRM.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they
have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and
service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because
we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists
and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type
design.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 59 products of U.S.
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 2 work-hours per
product to comply with each inspection required by this proposed AD.
The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.

Based on these figures, we estimate the inspection cost of this
proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $10,030, or $170 per product.

In addition, we estimate that each replacement action required by
this proposed AD would take about 8 work-hours and require parts
costing $500. Based on these figures, we estimate the replacement cost
of this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $69,620, or $1,180 per
product.

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 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) Is not a "significant rule" under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

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

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: