DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1303; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-01001-G;
Amendment 39-22372; AD 2023-05-03]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.
Segelflugzeugbau Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-14-
14, which applied to all Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.
Segelflugzeugbau Model ASW-15 gliders. AD 2022-14-14 required
repetitively inspecting the wing root ribs for cracks, looseness, and
damage and replacing any root rib with a crack, a loose rib or lift pin
bushing, or any damage. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-14-14, the
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) superseded its mandatory
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) to add all Model ASW-15B
gliders to the applicability. This AD is prompted by MCAI originated by
an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an
unsafe condition on an aviation product. This AD retains the
requirements from AD 2022-14-14 of repetitively inspecting the wing
root ribs for cracks, looseness, and damage and replacing any root rib
with a crack, a loose rib or lift pin bushing or any damage; and
revises the applicability by adding Model ASW-15B gliders and
specifying that this AD applies to all Model ASW-15 and ASW-15B gliders
equipped with wooden wing root ribs. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 18, 2023.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 18,
2023.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain other publications listed in this AD as of August
25, 2022 (87 FR 43403, July 21, 2022).

ADDRESSES:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1303; 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 final rule, any comments received, the MCAI, and
other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau, Alexander-
Schleicher-Str. 1, Poppenhausen, Germany D-36163; phone: +49 (0) 06658
89-0; email: info@alexander-schleicher.de; website: alexander-
schleicher.de.
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 (817) 222-5110. It is also available at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-1303.

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; email: jim.rutherford@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2022-14-14, Amendment 39-22119 (87 FR
43403, July 21, 2022) (AD 2022-14-14). AD 2022-14-14 applied to all
serial-numbered Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Model
ASW-15 gliders. AD 2022-14-14 required repetitively inspecting the wing
root ribs for cracks, looseness, and damage and replacing any root rib
with a crack, a loose rib or lift pin bushing, or any damage. The FAA
issued AD 2022-14-14 to detect and correct damaged root ribs.
The NPRM published in the Federal Register on October 26, 2022 (87
FR 64734; corrected November 10, 2022 (87 FR 67837)). The NPRM was
prompted by EASA AD 2022-0146, dated July 11, 2022 (EASA AD 2022-0146)
(referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), issued by EASA, which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. The MCAI
states that wing root rib damage can also affect Model ASW-15B gliders,
and the Model ASW-15B as well as the ASW-15 gliders require
repetitively inspecting the wing root ribs and replacing any damaged
wing root ribs. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-1303.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to retain the requirements from AD
2022-14-14 of repetitively inspecting the wing root ribs for cracks,
looseness, and damage and replacing any root rib with a crack, a loose
rib or lift pin bushing, or any damage; and add the Model ASW-15B
gliders to the applicability.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received comments from three individual commenters. The
following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's
response to each comment.

Request Regarding Applicability

Three individual commenters requested that the FAA change the
applicability of the proposed AD to specify that only Model ASW-15 and
ASW-15B gliders equipped with wooden wing root ribs would be affected. The
commenters stated that EASA AD 2022-0146 and Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau ASW 15 Technical Note 29, Issue II, dated May 4, 2022 (TN 29,
Issue II), are for all models and serial numbers of ASW 15 gliders built with
wooden wing root ribs and that in the proposed AD the FAA did not
specify that only gliders equipped with wooden wing root ribs would be
affected.
The FAA agrees. The FAA revised paragraph (c), Applicability, of
this AD to specify Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau
Model ASW-15 and ASW-15B gliders, all serial numbers, certificated in
any category, equipped with wooden wing root ribs.

Request Regarding On-Condition Costs

An individual commenter requested that the FAA increase the
proposed work-hour estimates in the NPRM for replacing all wing root
ribs. The individual stated that the estimate of 8 work-hours to
replace all wing root ribs is a significant underestimate.
The FAA agrees. The FAA researched the work-hour estimate for
replacing all four wing root ribs and has since determined that it
should be an estimate of 55 work-hours. Based on this information, the
FAA revised the on-condition cost estimate in this final rule to
include 55 work-hours for the replacement of all four wing root ribs.

Conclusion

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
another country and are 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 referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data,
considered the comments received, and determined that air safety
requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing
this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. Except for
any changes described previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the
NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau
ASW 15 Technical Note 29, Issue II, dated May 4, 2022 (TN 29, Issue
II). This service information specifies replacement of wooden wing root
ribs with new ribs.
This AD also requires Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.
Segelflugzeugbau ASW 15 Technical Note 29, dated June 28, 2021;
Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau ASW 15 Repair
instruction exchange of wing root ribs according to TN 29, dated June
28, 2021; and Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau ASW 15
Maintenance Instruction G, Issue 1, dated June 28, 2021, which the
Director of the Federal Register approved for incorporation by
reference as of August 25, 2022 (87 FR 43403, July 21, 2022).
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.

Differences Between This AD and the Service Information

TN 29, Issue II, specifies the exchange of page 22A and page 27A of
the Flight and Operations Manual for the Model ASW-15 and ASW-15B
gliders, respectively, with a new version of those pages and then
specifies documenting this change on page 3, Amendments, of the
respective manual, and the MCAI and this AD do not.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 29 gliders of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
inspection. The agency has no data to determine the number of gliders
that might need these replacements:

On-Condition Costs

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 has 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,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

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:

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive AD 2022-14-14, Amendment 39-22119
(87 FR 43403, July 21, 2022); and

b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive: