Federal Register #20261209

FAA Airworthiness Directive: New Maintenance and Inspection Requirements for Airbus Helicopters

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under the Department of Transportation, has issued a regulatory airworthiness directive affecting Airbus Helicopters models AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, EC130B4, EC130T2, and AS355 series. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Aircraft Certification Service, Compliance & Airworthiness Division - OEM Highlight: - Airbus Helicopters is the primary Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) referenced - Requirements: - Operators must revise the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of maintenance manuals and inspection programs to include new or more restrictive life limits and maintenance tasks - Mandatory initial inspection of pitch change spider nuts, including marking and alignment checks - Prohibition on installation of certain parts unless new requirements are met - Scope: - Affects approximately 963 U.S.-registered helicopters - Based on updated European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) directives (EASA ADs 20240133R1 and 20210282R1) - Notable Details: - No procurement of products or services is requested; this is a regulatory compliance action - Focus is on safety and prevention of critical part failures and loss of control

Description

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-11-08 for all Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, EC130B4, and EC130T2 helicopters. The AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations section of the existing maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness and the approved maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This action addresses an unsafe condition to prevent failure of critical parts and primary structural components that could result in loss of control of the helicopter. The AD is effective July 21, 2026.

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