Federal Register #FAA20268786

FAA Proposed Airworthiness Directive for Airbus Helicopters Emergency Sea Anchor Inspection and Replacement

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a new airworthiness directive for Airbus Helicopters emergency sea anchor systems. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Department - OEMs and Vendors: - Airbus Helicopters (primary OEM) - Products/Services Requested: - Inspection of emergency sea anchor for corrosion on Airbus Helicopters AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP models - Replacement of emergency sea anchor if corrosion is detected - Compliance with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 20250278R1 - Affected population: 44 helicopters registered in the U.S. - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Addresses unsafe condition: corrosion of anchor pin, risk of anchor release in flight, rotor damage, and loss of control - Prohibits installation of affected sea anchors unless new or inspected - Allows installation of locally made plug if manufactured per instructions - No special flight permits allowed - No reporting requirement to manufacturer - No specific part numbers or quantities provided for replacement anchors

Description

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-17-03, which applies to all Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP helicopters. The existing AD requires inspecting the emergency sea anchor and replacing it if necessary. The proposed AD retains these requirements and adds an additional inspection of the emergency sea anchor. This action addresses an unsafe condition that could lead to failure of the anchor pin, release of the emergency sea anchor in flight, damage to the rotors, and loss of control of the helicopter.

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