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Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
• 14 CFR Part 39
• [Docket No. FAA-2025-1362; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00062-G; Amendment 39-23253; AD 2026-03-04]
• RIN 2120-AA64
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION:
Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH (Schempp-Hirth) Model STANDARD CIRRUS gliders. This AD was prompted by reports of a broken outer race of the lower ball bearing installed in the all-moving horizontal tailplane drive fitting. This AD requires inspecting the elevator drive fitting to determine the type of lower ball bearing installed, and depending upon the results, replacing the lower ball bearing with a serviceable part. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES:
This AD is effective April 9, 2026.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 9, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
AD Docket:
You may examine the AD docket at
regulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2025-1362; 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, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, 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 SCHEMPP-HIRTH Flugzeugbau GmbH material identified in this AD, contact Schempp-Hirth, Krebenstraße 25, 73230 Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany; phone: +49 7021 7298-0; email:info@schempp-hirth.com;
website:
schempp-hirth.com.
• You may view this material 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 atregulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2025-1362.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Schmitt, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (206) 231-3377; email:
peter.a.schmitt@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Schempp-Hirth Model CIRRUS gliders. The NPRM was published in the
Federal Register
on July 22, 2025 (90 FR 34391). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2024-0242R1, dated January 17, 2025, issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union (EASA AD 2024-0242R1) (also referred to as the MCAI). The MCAI states that occurrences were reported of a broken outer race in the lower ball bearing installed on the all-moving horizontal tailplane drive fitting. This condition, if not addressed, could lead to the tailplane drive…
Fonte: Federal Register (federalregister.gov). Texto original em inglês.