Opportunity
Federal Register #FAA20260007
FAA Airworthiness Directive: Maintenance Program Updates for Airbus Helicopters AS350 and EC130 Series
Buyer
Federal Aviation Administration
Posted
June 16, 2026
Identifier
FAA20260007
NAICS
541690
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopters models AS350B2, AS350B3, EC130B4, and EC130T2. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Department - OEM Highlight: - Airbus Helicopters is the sole OEM referenced - Requirement Overview: - All operators of the specified Airbus Helicopters models must revise the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of their maintenance manuals or instructions for continued airworthiness - Updates must also be made to the approved maintenance or inspection program - The directive incorporates by reference EASA AD 2025-0137 and EASA AD 2024-0133R1, which specify new life limits and maintenance tasks - Products/Services Requested: - No physical products or part numbers are being procured - The requirement is for compliance with updated maintenance and inspection procedures - Notable Requirements: - Compliance with the revised ALS is mandatory within 30 days of the directive's effective date - The directive aims to prevent failure of critical parts and primary structural components, reducing the risk of loss of helicopter control - The AD supersedes previous directives and imposes more restrictive maintenance requirements
Description
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B2, AS350B3, EC130B4, and EC130T2 helicopters. This AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program. The directive addresses unsafe conditions by implementing new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations to prevent failure of critical parts and primary structural components, which could result in loss of control of the helicopter. Compliance with the AD is required by July 21, 2026.