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PROPOSED AD DG FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH: Docket No. FAA-2021-0792; Project Identifier AD-2020-00593-G.
(a) COMMENTS DUE DATE

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive (AD)  by
    November 1, 2021.

(b) AFFECTED ADS

    None.

(c) APPLICABILITY

    This AD  applies to  DG Flugzeugbau GmbH  Models DG-500MB and DG-1000M
    gliders, all serial numbers, certificated in any category, with a Solo
    Kleinmotoren GmbH Solo Model 2625 02i engine installed.

(d) SUBJECT

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7300, Engine Fuel and Con-
    trol.

(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 an error in the engine control  unit
    (ECU) software. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent an injection  of
    fuel  into  one  cylinder  when  the  ECU  is  activated.  The  unsafe
    condition, if not addressed,  could result in difficulty  starting the
    engine and reduced control of the glider.

(f) COMPLIANCE

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

(g) REQUIRED ACTIONS

(1) Within 3 months after the effective date of this AD,  update  the  ECU
    software to software version V517 Revision 8  in  accordance  with the
    Actions in Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH  Service Bulletin No. 4600-11, dated
    August 19, 2019.

(2) As of the effective date of this AD,  do not install ECU software ver-
    sion V517 Revision 7 or earlier on any glider with a Solo Kleinmotoren
    GmbH Solo Model 2625 02i engine.

(h) 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 (i)(1)  of this  AD, Related  Information, or
    email: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov.

(2) Before using any approved AMOC,  notify your appropriate principal in-
    spector,  or  lacking a principal inspector,  the manager of the local
    flight standards district office/certificate holding district office.

(i) 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: jim.rutherford@faa.
    gov.

(2) Refer  to  European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)  AD 2020-0056,
    dated March 13, 2020,  for more information.  You may examine the EASA
    AD in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov  by  searching  for
    and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0792.

(3) For service information  identified  in this AD,  contact  Solo Klein-
    motoren GmbH, Postfach 600152,  D71050 Sindelfingen,  Germany;  phone:
    +49 703 1301-0;  fax: +49 703 1301-136;  email: aircraft@solo-germany.
    com; website: https://aircraft.solo.global/gb/. You may view this ref-
    erenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section
    Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106.  For in-
    formation on the availability of this material at the FAA,  call (816)
    329-4148.

Issued on September 13, 2021.  Lance T. Gant, Director,  Compliance & Air-
worthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments  on this proposed AD  by  November 1,
2021.
PREAMBLE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0792; Project Identifier AD-2020-00593-G]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500MB and DG-1000M gliders with a
Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH Solo Model 2625 02i engine installed. 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 an error in the engine control
unit (ECU) software. This proposed AD would require updating the ECU
software. 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 November 1,
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 Solo
Kleinmotoren GmbH, Postfach 600152, D71050 Sindelfingen, Germany;
phone: +49 703 1301-0; fax: +49 703 1301-136; email: aircraft@solo-germany
.com; website: https://aircraft.solo.global/gb/. 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-2021-0792; 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:
jim.rutherford@faa.gov.

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-2021-0792; Project Identifier
AD-2020-00593-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 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, 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 2020-0056, dated March 13, 2020 (referred to after this as
"the MCAI"), to address an unsafe condition on Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH
Solo Model 2625 02 engines, variation 02i with electronic fuel
injection, installed on but not limited to Binder Motorenbau, DG-
Flugzeugbau and Schempp-Hirth powered sailplanes (gliders). The MCAI
states:

An error was found in the ECU affected SW [software] that can
cause brief injection of fuel into one cylinder when the ECU is
activated.

This condition, if not corrected, could increase the time needed
to (re)start the engine in flight, possibly resulting in reduced
control of the powered sailplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, SOLO Kleinmotoren
GmbH, together with the ECU manufactuerer [sic], developed an ECU SW
update and issued the SB [service bulletin] accordingly, providing in-
stallation instructions.

For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires an
update of the ECU software.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0792.

The Model 2625 02i engine does not have an FAA type certificate.
For Model DG-1000M gliders, this engine is part of the glider type
certification. For Model DG-500MB gliders, this engine may be installed
as a Model 2525 02 engine modified with a fuel injection system and re-
identified as a Model 2625 02i engine.

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 Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH Service Bulletin No. 4600-
11, dated August 19, 2019. This service information specifies
procedures for updating the ECU software to a version that fixes a
software error found in previous ECU software versions. 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.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require updating the ECU software version
and would prohibit installing software version V517 Revision 7 or
earlier.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 4 gliders of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates that it would take
about 2 work-hours per glider to comply with the requirements of this
AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on these
figures, the FAA estimates the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be
$680 or $170 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.

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

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: