Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 16, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36077-36080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-12050]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2026-0007; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01183-R; 
Amendment 39-23378; AD 2026-12-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B2, AS350B3, EC130B4, and EC130T2 
helicopters. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more 
restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires 
revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing 
maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued airworthiness 
(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.

DATES: This AD is effective July 21, 2026. The Director of the Federal 
Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain 
publication listed in this AD as of July 21, 2026.

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2026-0007; 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,

[[Page 36078]]

Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 
000; email: [email protected]; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find 
the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.
    <bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, 
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-2026-0007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Williams, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 
phone: (316) 946-4134; email: [email protected].

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

[[Page 36079]]

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.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Cost per   Cost on U.S.
                   Action                              Labor cost           Parts cost    product     operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revise ALS.................................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour =           $0         $85       $98,855
                                              $85.
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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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

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

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  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

2026-12-08 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-23378; Docket No. FAA-
2026-0007; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01183-R.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective July 21, 2026.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B2, AS350B3, 
EC130B4, and EC130T2 helicopters, certificated in any category.
    Note 1 to paragraph (c): Helicopters with AS350B3e designation 
are Model AS350B3 helicopters.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 04, Time Limits/
Maintenance Checks.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by new or more restrictive airworthiness 
limitations. 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.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply 
with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2025-0137, 
dated June 27, 2025; corrected October 29, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0137).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0137

    (1) Where EASA AD 2025-0137 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) This AD does not adopt paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) of 
EASA AD 2025-0137.
    (3) Where paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0137 specifies ``Within 
12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the approved 
AMP'', this AD requires replacing that text with ``Within 30 days 
after the effective date of this AD, revise the airworthiness 
limitations section of the existing maintenance manual or 
instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable''.
    (4) The initial compliance time for doing the tasks specified in 
paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0137 is on or before the applicable 
``limitations'' and ``associated thresholds'' as incorporated by the 
requirements of

[[Page 36080]]

paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0137 or within 30 days after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
    (5) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2025-0137.

(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals

    After the action required by paragraph (g) of this AD has been 
done, no alternative actions and associated thresholds and 
intervals, including any life limits, are allowed unless they are 
approved as specified in the provisions of the Ref. Publications 
section of EASA AD 2025-0137.

(j) 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 (k) 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.

(k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Matthew Williams, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4134; email: 
[email protected].

(l) 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 2025-0137, 
dated June 27, 2025; corrected October 29, 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 the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, 
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].

    Issued on June 11, 2026.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-12050 Filed 6-15-26; 8:45 am]
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