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2020-13-09 DG FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH:
Amendment 39-21154; Docket No. FAA-2020-0600; Product Identifier 2019-CE-043-AD.

(a) EFFECTIVE DATE

    This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective August 26, 2020.

(b) AFFECTED ADS

    None.

(c) APPLICABILITY

    This AD applies to DG Flugzeugbau GmbH  Models DG-500 Elan Orion,  DG-
    500 Elan Trainer, DG-500/20 Elan, DG-500/22 Elan, DG-500M and DG-500MB
    gliders, all serial numbers; and DG-1000S and DG-1000T gliders, serial
    numbers up to and including 10-144; certificated in any category.

(d) SUBJECT

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 44: Cabin Systems.

(e) REASON

    This  AD was  prompted  by  the rear  locking rod  of the  rear canopy
    rotating out  of the  threads of  the operating  mechanism. Due to the
    similarity in design, the front  canopy locking mechanism may also  be
    affected. The FAA is issuing this AD to repetitively inspect the front
    and  rear  canopy locking  rods,  and make  repairs  as necessary,  to
    prevent blocking of the  canopy emergency release system,  which could
    affect the evacuation of occupants from the glider in an emergency.

(f) ACTIONS AND COMPLIANCE

    Unless already done, do the following actions:

(1) Before  further  flight  after  August 26, 2020 (the effective date of
    this AD),  revise the flight manual  for your glider  by inserting the
    flight manual pages  listed  in Instruction 5  of  DG Flugzeugbau GmbH
    Technical Note (TN) No. 1000/42, Document No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01 Issue
    01.b, dated September 11, 2019, and TN No. 500/13, Document No. TM1000
    -42 FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019,  which are co-pub-
    lished as one document (TM1000-42 FE-29-01).  This action  may be per-
    formed by the owner/operator (pilot) holding  at least a private pilot
    certificate  and must  be entered  into the  aircraft records  showing
    compliance with this AD  in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9 (a)(1) through
    (4) and 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v).  The record must be maintained  as re-
    quired by 14 CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439.

(2) Before  further  flight  after August 26, 2020  (the effective date of
    this AD),  and thereafter at each annual inspection,  inspect the rear
    locking rods of the front and rear canopy and repair any discrepancies
    by following Instructions 1 through 3 in TM1000-42 FE-29-01.

(g) ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF COMPLIANCE (AMOCS)

    The Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch,  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: Jim Rutherford,  Aerospace
    Engineer,  FAA,  General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section,  International
    Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301,  Kansas City, Missouri 64106;
    telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: jim.rutherford@
    faa.gov.  Before using any approved AMOC  on  any  glider 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.

(h) RELATED INFORMATION

    Refer to MCAI European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD No. 2019-0237R1
    dated September 24, 2019.  You may examine the MCAI on the internet at
    https://www.regulations.gov by searching for  and  locating Docket No.
    FAA-2020-0600.

(i) MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

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

(2) You must use  this service information as applicable to do the actions
    required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

(i) DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 1000/42  Document No. TM1000-42
    FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019.

(ii) DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. TN500/13, Document No. TM1000-
     42 FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019.

Note 1 to paragraph (i)(2) of this AD:  DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note
No. 1000/42 Document No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01,  Issue 01.b,  dated September
11, 2019 and DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. TN500/13, Document No.
TM1000-42 FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019, are co-published
as one document.

(3) For the DG Flugzeugbau GmbH service information and Repair Instruction
    RI-DG-05 identified  in  this  AD,  contact DG-Flugzeugbau GmbH,  Otto
    Lilienthal Weg 2, D-76646, Bruchsal, Germany,  telephone: +49 (0) 7251
    3020-0, fax: +49 (0) 7251 3020-200; email: dirks@dgflugzeugbau.de; in-
    ternet: https://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/en/.

(4) You may view  this  service  information  at  the  FAA,  Airworthiness
    Products Section, Operational Safety Branch,  901 Locust, Kansas City,
    Missouri 64106.  For information  on the availability of this material
    at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.  It is also available on the internet
    at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for  and  locating  Docket
    No. FAA-2020-0600.

(5) You  may  view  this  service  information  that  is  incorporated  by
    reference at the National Archives and Records Administration  (NARA).
    For information on the availability of this material  at NARA,  email:
    fedreg.legal@nara.gov,  or  go  to:  https://www.archives.gov/federal-
    register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

Issued on June 19, 2020.  Lance T. Gant, Director, Compliance & Airworthi-
ness Division, Aircraft Certification Service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer,  FAA,
General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section,  International  Validation  Branch,
901 Locust,  Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106;  telephone: (816) 329-
4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: jim.rutherford@faa.gov.
PREAMBLE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0600; Product Identifier 2019-CE-043-AD; Amendment
39-21154; AD 2020-13-09]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500 Elan Orion, DG-500 Elan Trainer, DG-
500/20 Elan, DG-500/22 Elan, DG-500M, and DG-500MB gliders and certain
Models DG-1000S and DG-1000T gliders. This AD results from 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 the rear locking rod of the rear canopy rotating out of
the threads of the operating mechanism, which could lead to blocking of
the canopy emergency release system, preventing safe escape of
occupants from the glider. The FAA is issuing this AD to require
actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective August 26, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of August 26,
2020.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by September 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: 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 the DG Flugzeugbau GmbH service information and Repair
Instruction RI-DG-05 identified in this AD, contact DG-Flugzeugbau
GmbH, Otto Lilienthal Weg 2, D-76646, Bruchsal, Germany, telephone: +49
(0) 7251 3020-0, fax: +49 (0) 7251 3020-200; email:
dirks@dgflugzeugbau.de; internet: https://www.dg-flugzeugbau.de/en/.
You may view this referenced service information at the FAA,
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust,
Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of
this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148. It is also available on
the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0600.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0600; 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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, any
comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket
Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD docket
shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International Validation
Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone:
(816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: jim.rutherford@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has
issued EASA AD No. 2019-0237R1, dated September 24, 2019, (referred to
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for DG
Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500 Elan Orion, DG-500 Elan Trainer, DG-500/
20 Elan, DG-500/22 Elan, DG-500M and DG-500MB, and certain Models DG-
1000S and DG-1000T gliders. The MCAI states:

Occurrences have been reported where the rear locking rod of the
rear canopy rotated out of the threads of the operating mechanism.
Due to the similarity in design, the front canopy locking mechanism
may also be affected.
This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to
blocking of the canopy emergency release system, possibly preventing
safe escape of the occupant(s) from the (powered) sailplane in case
of an in-flight emergency.
To address this unsafe condition, DG-Flugzeugbau published the
TN [DG-Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note TN1000/42 and TN500/13] and
the RI [Repair Instruction RI-DG-05] to provide inspection and
repair instructions.
For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
repetitive inspections of the front and rear canopy to determine if
the end of the rear locking rod protrudes over the canopy frame
contour, and annual checks of the front and rear canopy rear locking
rods to determine that they are screwed in tightly, and, depending
on findings, repair of the canopy rear locking rods. This [EASA] AD
also requires amendment of the applicable Aircraft Flight Manual
(AFM).
This [EASA] AD is revised to remove the references to the TN
instruction paragraphs, which have changed with TN issue 01.b. The
revised TN issues were added to the list of reference publications.

You may examine the MCAI on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0600.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51


The FAA reviewed DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Technical Note No. 1000/42,
Document No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019;
and Technical Note TN500/13, Document No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01, Issue
01.b, dated September 11, 2019; which are co-published as one document.
The service information contains procedures for inspecting the rear
locking rods on both the front and rear canopy for rod protrusion.
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.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA also reviewed Repair Instruction RI-DG-05, dated August 15,
2019. The service information is referenced in DG Flugzeugbau GmbH
Technical Note No. 1000/42, Document No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01, Issue
01.b, dated September 11, 2019; and Technical Note TN500/13, Document
No. TM1000-42 FE-29-01, Issue 01.b, dated September 11, 2019; and
contains procedures for repairing the rear locking rods of the canopy
lock.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the AD

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

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI


The MCAI requires a daily inspection of the front and rear canopy,
and this AD does not.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because the
FAA has determined that the required corrective actions must be
accomplished before further flight. Therefore, the FAA finds good cause
that notice and opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable.
In addition, for the reason stated above, it finds that good cause
exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Comments Invited

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and the FAA did not precede it by notice and opportunity for
public comment. The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data,
views, or arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-0600;
Product Identifier 2019-CE-043-AD'' at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may
amend this AD 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 personal information you
provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive
verbal contact received about this AD.

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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Jim
Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft
Section, International Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD will affect 47 products of U.S.
registry. The FAA also estimates that it would take 1.5 work-hours per
product to inspect the canopy rear locking rods. In addition, the FAA
estimates that it would take 0.5 work-hour per product to revise the
aircraft flight manual. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the annual cost of this
AD on U.S. operators to be $7,990, or $170 per product.
In addition, the FAA estimates that any necessary follow-on repairs
to the canopy rear locking rods will take 8 work-hours and require
parts costing $200, for a cost of $880 per product. The
FAA has 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.
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 Flexibility Act

The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without notice and comment,
RFA analysis is not required.

Regulatory Findings

The FAA 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 that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866, and
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

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 airworthiness
directive: