Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46748-46750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19079]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2025-1108; Project Identifier AD-2025-00428-R; 
Amendment 39-23140; AD 2025-18-13]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that 
published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to certain Airbus 
Helicopters Model AS350B3, EC130B4, and EC130T2 helicopters. As 
published, a reference to a measurement in the regulatory text is 
incorrect. This document corrects that error. In all other respects, 
the original document remains the same.

DATES: This correction is effective October 23, 2025. The effective 
date of AD 2025-18-13 remains October 23, 2025.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of October 23, 
2025 (90 FR 44962, September 18, 2025).

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2025-1108, 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:
    <bullet> For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material 
identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 
Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: [email protected]; 
website: easa.europa.eu. You may find this material on the EASA website 
at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    <bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at 
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-1108.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zain Jamal, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (847) 
294-7264; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Airworthiness Directive 2025-18-13, Amendment 39-23140 (90 FR 
44962, September 18, 2025) (AD 2025-18-13), retains the actions 
required by AD 2020-24-07 and mandates an additional modification, 
which would constitute terminating action for the repetitive 
inspections for certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B3, EC130B4, and 
EC130T2 helicopters. This AD also expands the helicopter applicability, 
provides additional requirements for certain helicopters, and prohibits 
installing affected microswitches or an affected twist grip with the 
affected microswitch.

Need for the Correction

    As published, a reference to a measurement specified in the 
regulatory text of AD 2025-18-13 is incorrect. Paragraph (h)(8) of AD 
2025-18-13 defines a discrepancy as a ``nut torque that is outside 
allowable torque limits, or clearance between the support plate 
assembly and the washers that is not within 01.mm to 0.3 mm'', whereas 
it should state ``nut torque that is outside allowable torque limits, 
or clearance between the support plate assembly and the washers that is 
not within 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm''.
    No other part of the preamble or regulatory information has been 
changed; for convenience, the entire rule is being republished.
    The effective date of this AD remains October 23, 2025.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023-0187R1, which specifies procedures 
for modifying the twist grip operational logic on helicopters with MOD 
074263 installed. EASA AD 2023-0187R1 also specifies procedures for 
repetitively inspecting for no marks, residue, or corrosion and testing 
the ``IDLE'' and ``FLIGHT'' controls on the pilot's and copilot's twist 
grips on helicopters with MOD 074699 installed. Additionally, EASA AD 
2023-0187R1 specifies procedures for installing MOD 074782 on 
helicopters if an affected microswitch is installed, which would 
constitute terminating action for the

[[Page 46749]]

repetitive inspections. For those helicopters with MOD 074782 
installed, EASA AD 2023-0187R1 specifies accomplishing a one-time 
inspection of the installation of the microswitch assembly of the 
engine power control. EASA AD 2023-0187R1 also prohibits installing a 
microswitch having a part number (P/N) T3933-3 or a twist grip 
containing a microswitch having P/N T3933-3 on any helicopter.
    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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) by correcting 90 FR 
44962, September 18, 2025, beginning at page 44962, column 1 as 
follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Corrected]

0
2. The FAA corrects Sec.  39.13 by correcting the following 
airworthiness directive to read:

2025-18-13 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-23140; Docket No. FAA-
2025-1108; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00428-R.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective October 23, 2025.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD replaces AD 2020-24-07, Amendment 39-21337 (85 FR 78954, 
December 8, 2020) (AD 2020-24-07).

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B3, EC130B4, 
and EC130T2 helicopters, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7600, Engine 
Controls.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of the of the engine remaining 
in idle when the throttle twist grip was turned from the ``IDLE'' 
mode to the ``FLIGHT'' mode. The FAA is issuing this AD to correct 
the failure of one of the microswitches, 53Ka, 53Kb, or 65K which 
can prevent the pilot from switching from ``IDLE'' mode to 
``FLIGHT'' mode during autorotation training making it impossible to 
recover from a practice autorotation and compelling the pilot to 
continue the autorotation to the ground. This condition could result 
in unintended touchdown to the ground at a flight-idle power setting 
during a practice autorotation, damage to the helicopter, and injury 
to occupants.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Requirements

    Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all 
required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2023-
0187R1, dated March 20, 2025 (EASA AD 2023-0187R1).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023-0187R1

    (1) Where EASA AD 2023-0187R1 refers to the effective dates 
identified in paragraphs (h)(1)(i) through (iii) of this AD, this AD 
requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (i) March 27, 2025 (the effective date of EASA AD 2023-0187R1).
    (ii) November 10, 2023 (the effective date of EASA AD 2023-0187, 
dated October 27, 2023).
    (iii) July 19, 2023 (the effective date of EASA AD 2023-0133, 
dated July 5, 2023).
    (2) Where EASA AD 2023-0187R1 refers to April 13, 2017 (the 
effective date of EASA AD 2017-0059, dated April 6, 2017), this AD 
requires using January 30, 2019 (the effective date of AD 2018-26-
02, Amendment 39-19532 (83 FR 66093, December 26, 2018)).
    (3) Where EASA AD 2023-0187R1 refers to flight hours (FH), this 
AD requires using hours time-in-service.
    (4) This AD does not adopt paragraphs (1) and (2) of EASA AD 
2023-0187R1.
    (5) Instead of complying with the compliance times in Table 1 in 
paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0187R1, this AD requires the 
helicopters identified under the Helicopters in Pre-MOD 074699 
Configuration column to accomplish the actions required by paragraph 
(3) of EASA AD 2023-0187R1 before the next practice autorotation, 
within 100 hours time-in-service, or 6 months after January 12, 2021 
(the effective date of AD 2020-24-07), whichever occurs first.
    (6) Where Table 2 in paragraph (4), Table 3 in paragraph (7), 
and Table 4 in paragraph (9) of EASA AD 2023-0187R1 state ``For 
helicopters which operate or have operated in salt-laden atmospheric 
conditions'', this AD requires replacing that text with ``For 
helicopters which operate or have operated in salt-laden atmospheric 
conditions, or if it cannot be determined if a helicopter has been 
operated in salt-laden atmospheric conditions''.
    (7) Where paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2023-0187R1 states 
``discrepancies are detected'', this AD requires replacing that text 
with ``marks, residue, corrosion, flaky varnish are detected; the 
values of the insulation test are less than 10 megaOhms; the 
microswitch closes in the ``IDLE'' position and does not open as 
soon as the twist grip is turned to the ``FLIGHT'' position; or the 
microswitch is open in the ``FLIGHT'' position and does not close as 
soon as the twist grip is turned to the ``IDLE'' position''.
    (8) Where paragraph (9) of EASA AD 2023-0187R1 states ``any 
discrepancy,'' for purposes of this AD, discrepancy is defined as a 
nut torque that is outside allowable torque limits, or clearance 
between the support plate assembly and the washers that is not 
within 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.
    (9) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2023-0187R1.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, send 
it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (j) of 
this AD and email to: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(j) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Zain Jamal, Aviation 
Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 
11590; phone: (847) 294-7264; email: [email protected].

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph 
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023-0187R1, 
dated March 20, 2025.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 
000; email: [email protected]; website: easa.europa.eu. You may 
find this EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
    (5) You may view this material at the National Archives and 
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].


[[Page 46750]]


    Issued on September 26, 2025.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-19079 Filed 9-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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