Airworthiness Directives: Airbus Helicopters

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

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 all Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B2, AS350B3, EC130B4, and EC130T2 helicopters. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on January 8, 2026 (91 FR 645). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2025-0137, dated June 27, 2025; corrected October 29, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0137) (also referred to as the MCAI), issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. The MCAI states that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been developed. Additionally, the MCAI advises that the airworthiness limitations are identified as mandatory for continued airworthiness and that Airbus Helicopters has issued applicable ALS revisions to specify new and more restrictive life limits and maintenance tasks. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of critical parts and primary structural components, which, if not addressed, could result in loss of control of the helicopter.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the ALS of the existing MM or ICAs and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-0007.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received comments from two commenters. One commenter was an individual, and the other commenter was anonymous. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Not Incorporate the MCAI by Reference

The individual commenter requested that the FAA not incorporate by reference EASA AD 2025-0137 for the basis of the FAA AD. The individual commenter stated that ADs that incorporate the MCAI by reference are time consuming for the operator and increase the likelihood of errors due to complexity of the required actions when using multiple references. The individual commenter also requested that the FAA begin publishing its own, complete, single-source AD, which had been done before using the concept of incorporating the MCAI by reference.

The FAA disagrees with both the request to not require compliance with EASA AD 2025-0137 in the FAA AD and the request to discontinue the method of requiring compliance with some foreign ADs issued by the foreign state of design authority. In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation authority ADs as the primary source of information for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. FAA ADs that require compliance with foreign ADs have been utilized since 2018 for some products and since 2020 for Airbus Helicopters. Incorporating information by reference is a common method of federal rulemaking that is explicitly permitted under 1 CFR part 51. As stated in the Incorporation by Reference Handbook, June 2023 Edition, incorporation of relevant, usually technical information (such as the MCAI) promotes efficiency. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Request for More Information on Required Actions and Incorporated Material

The anonymous commenter requested further information regarding the compliance recording requirement. The anonymous commenter also stated that the required actions of the proposed AD are not communicated well due to the fact that the FAA AD does not incorporate several paragraphs from the MCAI and only incorporates paragraph (3) of the MCAI. The anonymous commenter questions what actions the AD requires and how to record compliance with the AD. Additionally, the anonymous commenter stated that paragraph (3) of the MCAI applicability is questionable as owners and operators are not required to have an Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP).

The FAA infers that the requester is seeking clarification on recording compliance for the proposed AD. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. Once the ALS is revised, the AD has been fully complied with and the life limit or inspection change remains enforceable as a part of the ALS. Requiring revision of the ALS, rather than requiring individual repetitive inspections, is advantageous for operators. It allows them to record AD compliance once when they make the revision rather than after every inspection or replacement.

Additionally, the FAA only requires compliance with paragraph (3) of the incorporated material and therefore that is the only required action. Furthermore, the FAA does not require revising the AMP and instead requires revising the existing maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Conclusion

These products have been approved by the civil 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, that authority has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any 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 minor editorial changes, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2025-0137, which specifies replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing all applicable maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the ALS as defined in EASA AD 2025-0137. Depending on the results of the maintenance tasks, EASA AD 2025-0137 specifies accomplishing corrective action(s) or contacting Airbus Helicopters for approved instructions and accomplishing those instructions.

Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0137 specifies revising the AMP by incorporating the limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals described in the specified ALS, as applicable. Revising the AMP constitutes terminating action for the requirement to record accomplishment of the actions of replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the applicable ALS as specified in EASA AD 2025-0137 for demonstration of AD compliance on a continued basis.

This material is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

Where EASA AD 2025-0137 specifies revising the approved AMP within 12 months after the effective date of EASA AD 2025-0137, this AD requires revising the ALS of the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, within 30 days after the effective date of this AD.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,163 helicopters of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD.

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

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.

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