Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 39</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2025-1736; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00435-R; Amendment 39-23190; AD 2025-23-07]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AA64</RIN> <SUBJECT>Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-06-12, which applied to certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS 332L2 and EC 225LP helicopters. AD 2020-06-12 required determining the accumulated hours time-in-service (TIS) of certain part-numbered main gearbox (MGB) suspension bar attachment bolts (bolt) and certain part-numbered MGB suspension bar attachment fittings (fitting), applying a life limit add-on factor, and inspecting the torque of certain MGB suspension bar attachment nuts (nuts). Since the FAA issued AD 2020-06-12, the manufacturer developed a design improvement, and the FAA determined that modifying the helicopter is necessary. This AD retains the actions required by AD 2020-06-12 and requires the modification of the MGB suspension bar, inspection of the torque, and corrective actions. This AD also allows credit for the initial service life calculations if certain requirements are met and prohibits installing a certain bolt after the modification is accomplished on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This AD is effective January 12, 2026. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of January 12, 2026. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">AD Docket:</E> You may examine the AD docket at <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2025-1736; 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. <E T="03">Material Incorporated by Reference:</E> • For Airbus Helicopters material identified in this AD, contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 North Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; phone: (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax: (972) 641-3775; website: <E T="03">airbus.com/en/products-services/helicopters/hcare-services/airbusworld.</E> • 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 <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2025-1736. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> William McCully, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (781) 238-7244; email: <E T="03">william.mccully@faa.gov</E> . </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2020-06-12, Amendment 39-19881 (85 FR 19077, April 6, 2020) (AD 2020-06-12). AD 2020-06-12 applied to Airbus Helicopters Model AS 332L2 and EC 225LP helicopters with a MGB suspension bar front bolt part number (P/N) 332A22-1613-21 or 332A22-1613-20, MGB suspension bar rear bolt P/N 332A22-1614-20, MGB suspension bar front fitting P/N 332A22-1623-01, MGB suspension bar rear left-hand fitting P/N 332A22-1624-02 or 332A22-1624-04, or MGB suspension bar rear right-hand fitting P/N 332A22-1624-03 or 332A22-1624-05 installed. AD 2020-06-12 required determining the accumulated hours TIS of the affected bolts and fittings, applying a life limit add-on factor, and inspecting the torque of the MGB suspension bar attachment nuts. The FAA issued AD 2020-06-12 to address MGB suspension bar bolts and fittings remaining in service beyond their fatigue life and loose MGB suspension bar bolts and fittings, which could result in structural failure of the MGB suspension bar and loss of helicopter control. The NPRM was published in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> on August 19, 2025 (90 FR 40262). The NPRM was prompted by a series of ADs related to this unsafe condition issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. EASA AD 2022-0021, dated February 1, 2022 (EASA AD 2022-0021), superseded EASA AD 2017-0189 due to Airbus Helicopters developing a design improvement consisting of installing new links on the fittings of the MGB suspension bars through modifications 0728521, 0728904, 0728496 and 0729044. EASA AD 2022-0021 introduced new service life limits (SLL) for certain post-modification parts and a new tightening torque check. EASA AD 2022-0021 was subsequently superseded by EASA AD 2023-0147, dated July 19, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0147), after EASA determined that, for helicopters modified with the new links on the fittings of the MGB suspension bars using earlier revisions of the service information, installing shims on the rear cooling rails of the MGB compartment was necessary. EASA revised AD 2023-0147 and issued EASA AD 2023-0147R1, dated March 12, 2025 (EASA AD 2023-0147R1) (also referred to as “the MCAI”) to address a difficulty with the installation of modification kits for EC 225LP helicopters. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to retain the actions of AD 2020-06-12, to include, using updated service information; determining the accumulated hours TIS of certain part-numbered bolts and certain part-numbered fittings; applying a life limit add-on penalty factor; removing any bolt that has reached or exceeded its life limit; inspecting the torque of certain nuts and, depending on the inspection, removing the bolt and nut from service. The NPRM also proposed to require modification of the MGB suspension bar, additional life limit calculations, a tightening torque inspection with new torque values, and removal and replacement of certain affected parts. Modification of the MGB suspension bar is considered terminating action for the proposed life limit calculations if certain requirements are met. The NPRM also proposed to prohibit installing a certain bolt after the modification is accomplished on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent MGB suspension bar attachment fittings and bolts remaining in service beyond their fatigue life. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in structural failure of an MGB attachment assembly, detachment of an MGB suspension bar, and consequent loss of control of the helicopter. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2025-1736. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Comments</HD> The FAA received a comment from one individual who requested more information about the bolts. The following presents the comment received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to the comment. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Request for Additional Information</HD> The individual commenter requested additional information on the differences between the new MGB suspension bar rear bolts and the previous MGB suspension bar front bolts. The commenter acknowledges the affected bolts design may have been improved by installing new links on the fittings of the MGB suspension bars but inquired as to how Airbus Helicopters has ensured that these new bolts have a longer and safer life span. The FAA infers the commenter is requesting more detailed information regarding the differences between the new and old MGB suspension bar rear bolts, as well as the measures Airbus Helicopters has implemented to ensure the improved performance of the new bolt. Although the FAA does not have specific information on the differences between the bolts and Airbus Helicopters manufacturing requirements, the FAA worked with the State of Design (EASA) to assure that the improved bolts are addressing the unsafe condition. The FAA has not changed this AD as a result of this comment. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Conclusion</HD> 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. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51</HD> The FAA reviewed Airbus Helicopters Emergency Alert Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 01.00.86, Revision 4, dated January 6, 2022, for Model AS 332L2 helicopters and Airbus Helicopters EASB No. 04A013, Revision 4, dated January 6, 2022, for Model EC 225LP helicopters. This material specifies procedures for applying an add-on factor to the flying hours logged by the pins (bolts) and fittings and replacing them if the SLL is exceeded. The FAA also reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. AS332-53.02.03, Revision 2, dated June 15, 2023, for Model AS 332LP helicopters and Airbus Helicopters ASB No. EC225-53A065, Revision 4, dated May 28, ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 33k characters. 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