Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 123 (Monday, June 29, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38997-39002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-13060]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2025-3999; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00176-R; 
Amendment 39-23380; AD 2026-12-10]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, 
and AS350D helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of non-
conformity of a certain cargo hook. This AD requires inspecting the gap 
between the filler and the side plates of the affected cargo hook and, 
depending on the results, replacing the cargo hook. This AD also 
prohibits installing an affected cargo hook on any helicopter. The FAA 
is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective August 3, 2026.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of August 3, 
2026.

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2025-3999; 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-91, West Building Fifth Floor, Room W58-213, 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, 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-2025-3999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yves Petiote, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 
phone: (202) 975-4867; 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 Airbus Helicopters 
Model AS-350B, AS 350BA, AS 350B1, AS 350B2, AS 350B3, and AS-350D 
helicopters. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on November 
18, 2025 (90 FR 51620). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2025-0036, 
dated February 12, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0036) (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 a non-conformity 
issue concerning

[[Page 38998]]

the gap between the filler and the side plates on the cargo hook of a 
helicopter was reported. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could 
result in loosening of the cargo hook, loss of the load, and consequent 
injury to people on the ground.
    In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require procedures for inspecting 
certain cargo hooks to measure the gap between the filler and the front 
and rear side plate assemblies and, depending on the results, replacing 
the cargo hook with a cargo hook that is not affected. In the NPRM, the 
FAA also proposed to prohibit installing an affected cargo hook on any 
helicopter. 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-2025-3999.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

    The FAA received comments from the Citizens Rulemaking Alliance. 
The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's 
response to each comment.

Request To Justify Forgoing Notice and Comment or Issue an NPRM

    The commenter asserted that the FAA bypassed notice and comment and 
requested that the FAA convert this action to an NPRM or provide at a 
minimum a 60-day delayed effective date to allow the FAA to evaluate 
comments. The commenter asserted the FAA has not adequately justified 
use of the good cause exception to bypass notice and comment and the 
30-day delayed effective date.
    The FAA notes the comment was submitted in response to an NPRM for 
which the FAA provided a 45-day comment period. This final rule is 
effective 35 days after its publication in the Federal Register. 
Therefore, no change to this AD is necessary.

Request To Make Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Materials Reasonably 
Available

    The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance stated that the FAA's current 
practices for IBR frequently fail to meet the legal and regulatory 
standards for reasonable availability. The commenter called on the FAA 
to guarantee that all IBR materials are freely and electronically 
accessible to the public and to condition future IBR approval in 
rotorcraft ADs on original equipment manufacturer commitment to free 
public access during the life of the AD.
    The FAA clarifies that this AD only incorporates by reference EASA 
AD 2025-0036, not the manufacturer service information referenced in 
that EASA AD. The FAA posted EASA AD 2025-0036 to the AD docket when 
the NPRM was published in the Federal Register. The material referenced 
in EASA AD 2025-0036 may only be posted before the final rule's 
publication if it is already publicly available or if there is written 
consent from the owner of that material. Additionally, the FAA provided 
notice in the NPRM that the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0036 
will be available in the AD docket after this AD is published. 
Therefore, the FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

Request To Provide Additional Cost Information and Consider Impact on 
Small Entities

    The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA add to the 
AD docket an explicit statement supporting its conclusion that the AD 
is not significant under Executive Order 12866 and the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). The commenter stated that the FAA should 
also provide the parts cost and any assumed downtime or out-of-service 
impacts. The commenter also requested that the FAA invite small-entity 
feedback on practical compliance alternatives.

No Additional Cost Impacts

    In the Costs of Compliance section of the proposed AD, the FAA 
disclosed the number of affected helicopters on the U.S. registry, the 
estimated work hours, and the estimated cost of parts. The labor and 
parts estimates were provided by the manufacturer. Additionally, the 
FAA considered the impact that this AD will have on affected operators 
and determined this AD will not trigger any downtime costs because the 
requirements of this AD can be performed during regularly scheduled 
maintenance. Since the FAA assessed and disclosed the total known costs 
of the AD requirements in the Costs of Compliance section of the 
proposed AD, and the commenter did not provide additional cost data for 
the FAA to consider in its cost analysis, it is not necessary to 
provide additional information in the AD docket.

Small Entities to Which This AD Applies

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) of 1980, Public Law 96-354, 94 
Stat. 1164 (5 U.S.C. 601-612), as amended by the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121, 110 Stat. 
857, Mar. 29, 1996) and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 
111-240, 124 Stat. 2504, Sept. 27, 2010), requires Federal agencies to 
consider the effects of the regulatory action on small business and 
other small entities and to minimize any significant economic impact. 
The term ``small entities'' comprises small businesses and not-for-
profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are 
not dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with 
populations of less than 50,000.
    The FAA used the definition of small entities in the RFA for this 
analysis. The RFA defines small entities as small businesses, small 
governmental jurisdictions, or small organizations. In 5 U.S.C. 601(3), 
the RFA defines ``small business'' to have the same meaning as ``small 
business concern'' under section 3 of the Small Business Act. The Small 
Business Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to 
define ``small business'' by issuing regulations.
    The SBA (2023) has established size standards for various types of 
economic activities, or industries, under the North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS). These size standards generally define 
small businesses based on the number of employees or annual receipts. 
The following table provides the SBA size standards for all industries 
with at least one entity impacted by this AD. Note that the SBA 
definition of a small business applies to the parent company and all 
affiliates as a single entity.

                      Small Business Size Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAICS code                Description             Size standard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
111199................  All Other Grain Farming...  $2.25 million.
112111................  Beef Cattle Ranching and    $2.5 million.
                         Farming.
221122................  Electric Power              1,100 employees.
                         Distribution.
236220................  Commercial and              $45.0 million.
                         Institutional Building
                         Construction.

[[Page 38999]]

 
237110................  Water and Sewer Line and    $45.0 million.
                         Related Structures
                         Construction.
327320................  Ready[dash]Mix Concrete     500 employees.
                         Manufacturing.
334511................  Search, Detection,          1,350 employees.
                         Navigation, Guidance,
                         Aeronautical, and
                         Nautical System and
                         Instrument Manufacturing.
336411................  Aircraft Manufacturing....  1,500 employees.
336413................  Other Aircraft Part and     1,250 employees.
                         Auxiliary Equipment
                         Manufacturing.
423860................  Transportation Equipment    175 employees.
                         and Supplies Merchant
                         Wholesalers.
441210................  Recreational Vehicle        $40.0 million.
                         Dealers.
441227................  Motorcycle, ATV, and All    $40.0 million.
                         Other Motor Vehicle
                         Dealers.
481111................  Scheduled Passenger Air     1,500 employees.
                         Transportation.
481211................  Nonscheduled Chartered      1,500 employees.
                         Passenger Air
                         Transportation.
481212................  Nonscheduled Chartered      1,500 employees.
                         Freight Air
                         Transportation.
481219................  Other Nonscheduled Air      $25.0 million.
                         Transportation.
484110................  General Freight Trucking,   $34.0 million.
                         Local.
486110................  Pipeline Transportation of  1,500 employees.
                         Crude Oil.
486210................  Pipeline Transportation of  $41.5 million.
                         Natural Gas.
487990................  Scenic and Sightseeing      $25.0 million.
                         Transportation, Other.
488119................  Other Airport Operations..  $40.0 million.
488190................  Other Support Activities    $40.0 million.
                         for Air Transportation.
512110................  Motion Picture and Video    $40.0 million.
                         Production.
516120................  Television Broadcasting     $47.0 million.
                         Stations.
517111................  Wired Telecommunications    1,500 employees.
                         Carriers.
531390................  Other Activities Related    $19.5 million.
                         to Real Estate.
532411................  Commercial Air, Rail, and   $45.5 million.
                         Water Transportation
                         Equipment Rental and
                         Leasing.
532490................  Other Commercial and        $40.0 million.
                         Industrial Machinery and
                         Equipment Rental and
                         Leasing.
541360................  Geophysical Surveying and   $28.5 million.
                         Mapping Services.
541370................  Surveying and Mapping       $19.0 million.
                         (except Geophysical)
                         Services.
541512................  Computer Systems Design     $34.0 million.
                         Services.
541611................  Administrative Management   $24.5 million.
                         and General Management
                         Consulting Services.
551112................  Offices of Other Holding    $45.5 million.
                         Companies.
561710................  Exterminating and Pest      $17.5 million.
                         Control Services.
611512................  Flight Training...........  $34.0 million.
621910................  Ambulance Services........  $22.5 million.
N/A...................  Public Administration--     Population fewer
                         Federal, state, and local   than 50,000.
                         government agencies which
                         administer and oversee
                         government programs and
                         activities that are not
                         performed by private
                         establishments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To identify small entities, the FAA first identified the primary 
NAICS of the entity or parent company, and then used data from 
different sources (e.g., company annual reports, Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics) to determine whether the entity meets the 
applicable size standard. The table below provides the estimated number 
of small entities affected by this AD:

                                       Estimated Number of Small Entities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of       Number of     Percent small
                           Description                             entities \1\   small entities     entities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Other Grain Farming.........................................               1               0               0
Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming................................               1               1             100
Electric Power Distribution.....................................               2               1              50
Commercial and Institutional Building Construction..............               2               2             100
Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction........               1               1             100
Ready[dash]Mix Concrete Manufacturing...........................               1               1             100
Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and                     1               0               0
 Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing...................
Aircraft Manufacturing..........................................               3               0               0
Other Aircraft Part and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing.......               1               1             100
Transportation Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers......               1               1             100
Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers............               1               1             100
Other Gasoline Stations.........................................               1               0               0
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation..........................               1               1             100
Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation.............             102              85              83
Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation...............               1               1             100
Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation...........................               6               5              83
General Freight Trucking, Local.................................               1               1             100
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil............................               1               0               0
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas..........................               1               0               0
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other....................              15              12              80

[[Page 39000]]

 
Other Airport Operations........................................               2               2             100
Other Support Activities for Air Transportation.................               7               5              71
Motion Picture and Video Production.............................               1               1             100
Other Activities Related to Real Estate.........................               1               0               0
Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental               19              19             100
 and Leasing....................................................
Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental                 1               1             100
 and Leasing....................................................
Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services......................               1               1             100
Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services.............               1               0               0
Computer Systems Design Services................................               1               0               0
Administrative Management and General Management Consulting                    1               1             100
 Services.......................................................
Offices of Other Holding Companies..............................               4               4             100
Exterminating and Pest Control Services.........................               1               1             100
Flight Training.................................................               1               1             100
Ambulance Services..............................................              10               5              50
Public Administration...........................................              79               0               0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes individual owners, foreign companies, and entities lacking available data.

Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance Requirements

    The FAA estimates operators will incur either a one-time inspection 
cost of $85 or an inspection and one-time replacement cost of $62,561 
per helicopter. The FAA has no way to determine if each helicopter will 
require this replacement cost. The FAA analyzes the cost of each 
compliance method with the annual revenue of each small entity. The 
following table shows the estimated compliance costs by each NAICS 
industry.

                                      Costs of Compliance per Small Entity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Average one-    Average one-
                                                 Average annual   Average number       time            time
                 Description                      revenue \1\       of aircraft     inspection      replacement
                                                                                       cost          cost \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming.............           $123,540               1             $85         $62,561
Electric Power Distribution..................         22,740,000               3             255         187,683
Commercial and Institutional Building                  2,162,465               1              85          62,561
 Construction................................
Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures               89,940               1              85          62,561
 Construction................................
Ready[dash]Mix Concrete Manufacturing........             53,280               1              85          62,561
Other Aircraft Part and Auxiliary Equipment            Not found               1              85          62,561
 Manufacturing...............................
Transportation Equipment and Supplies                    540,000               1              85          62,561
 Merchant Wholesalers........................
Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle             660,000               1              85          62,561
 Dealers.....................................
Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation.......          6,960,000               6             510         375,366
Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air                 393,944,724             2.2             187         137,634
 Transportation..............................
Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air                     5,740,000               4             340         250,244
 Transportation..............................
Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation........         12,618,333             5.8             493         362,854
General Freight Trucking, Local..............          6,060,000               1              85          62,561
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other.         44,092,097             2.7             230         168,915
Other Airport Operations.....................            195,085               1              85          62,561
Other Support Activities for Air                   1,010,503,660             1.1              94          68,817
 Transportation..............................
Motion Picture and Video Production..........            242,860               1              85          62,561
Commercial Air, Rail, and Water                          561,355               1              85          62,561
 Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing.
Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and            520,000               1              85          62,561
 Equipment Rental and Leasing................
Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services...            163,430               1              85          62,561
Administrative Management and General                     52,300               1              85          62,561
 Management Consulting Services..............
Offices of Other Holding Companies...........            323,825               1              85          62,561
Exterminating and Pest Control Services......          9,760,000               4             340         250,244
Flight Training..............................          3,480,000               5             425         312,805
Ambulance Services...........................          1,076,832             5.6             476         350,342
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Source: Dun & Bradstreet. D&B Hoovers. Retrieved May 7, 2026. app.hoovers.dnb.com.
\2\ One-time replacement cost includes both inspection and replacement costs, as replacement is contingent upon
  inspection results.

Significant Alternatives Considered

    FAA evaluated the alternative of not promulgating this AD but 
determined that taking no regulatory action would allow a significant 
safety hazard to persist. A non-conformity exists regarding the gap 
between the filler and the side plates on the helicopter's cargo hook. 
This unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in the loosening 
of the cargo hook, loss of the external

[[Page 39001]]

load, and consequent injury to people on the ground.

Small Entity Impacts

    Based on the analysis, this AD is not a significant regulatory 
action under Executive Order 12866 or UMRA. 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 2025-0036, which specifies procedures for 
inspecting certain cargo hooks to measure the gap between the filler 
and the front and rear side plate assemblies and, depending on the 
results, replacing the cargo hook with a cargo hook that is not 
affected. Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0036 prohibits installing an 
affected cargo hook 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.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

    The MCAI applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS 350BB helicopters, 
whereas this AD does not because that model does not have an FAA type 
certificate.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 898 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect cargo hook....................  1 work-hour x $85 per                 $0             $85         $76,330
                                         hour \1\ = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The FAA estimated operators will incur $85 in costs per labor hour, which is the weighted average fiscal
  year (FY) 2026 fully loaded wage of an aircraft mechanic ($69.85) working 60% of the labor hours and a general
  and operations manager ($108.15) working 40% of the labor hours. The FAA estimated these wages by taking the
  average of the FY 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) air transportation industry average wage for aircraft
  mechanics and general and operations managers (See: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Query System,
  BLS (May 2024), data.bls.gov/oes/); multiplying each wage by a fringe benefit factor of 1.42 (See: Employer
  Cost for Employee Compensation--December 2024, BLS (2024), bls.gov/news.release/archives/ecec_03142025.pdf);
  and adjusting these 2024 wages to 2026 dollars using an implicit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Price Deflator
  of 2.8% (See: Gross Domestic Product: Implicit Price Deflator, FRED (2026) fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPDEF).

    The FAA estimates the following costs to do any replacements 
required based on the results of the inspection. The agency has no way 
of determining the number of helicopters that might need this 
replacement.

                                               On Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                 Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace cargo hook............................  4 work-hours x $85 per hour =            $62,136         $62,476
                                                 $340.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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:

[[Page 39002]]

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:

2026-12-10 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-23380; Docket No. FAA-
2025-3999; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00176-R.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective August 3, 2026.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, 
AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, and AS350D helicopters, certificated in 
any category.

    Note 1 to paragraph (c):  Helicopters with AS350B3e designation 
are Model AS350B3 helicopters.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2500, Equipment/
Furnishings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of a non-conformity of the 
cargo hook. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct a non-
conformity of the cargo hook. The unsafe condition, if not 
addressed, could result in loosening of the cargo hook, loss of the 
load, and consequent injury to people on the ground.

(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 2025-0036, 
dated February 12, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0036).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0036

    (1) Where EASA AD 2025-0036 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Where EASA AD 2025-0036 defines sling cycles, for the 
purposes of this AD, a sling cycle is defined as one release with 
load on ground equals one sling cycle, and one release with load in-
flight equals three sling cycles.
    (3) Where the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0036 specifies 
``check'', this AD requires replacing that text with ``inspect''.
    (4) Where the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0036 specifies 
to return parts for repair, this AD does not require those actions.
    (5) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2025-0036.

(i) Special Flight Permits

    Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 14 CFR 
21.197 and 21.199, provided there are no external load operations.

(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 responsible Flight 
Standards 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 responsible Flight Standards Office.

(k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Yves Petiote, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (202) 975-4867; 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 2025-0036, 
dated February 12, 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 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. 2026-13060 Filed 6-26-26; 8:45 am]
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Open the captured official edition

Source SHA-256

710be91e36cd77eb2341f2fdba3885103482258cd8be0de0b9af69d7b566d2e2

Text SHA-256

ccd28e4b4ef5531063a2d263ec0ce6f586bd957db46cc7fbd8433881e27606c2