Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 39</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2025-5392; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01494-R; Amendment 39-23221; AD 2025-25-13]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AA64</RIN> <SUBJECT>Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule; request for comments. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.A. Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of trapped residue in the rear pneumatic line due to a non-optimal cleaning procedure. This AD requires accomplishing repetitive engine acceleration checks and, depending on the results, replacing the rear pneumatic line and inspecting the fuel control unit (FCU), and accomplishing any necessary corrective actions. This AD also requires replacing certain parts if the engine acceleration check exceeds the maximum limit, which terminates the repetitive acceleration checks. If the limits do not exceed the maximum limit, this AD would allow this replacement as an optional terminating action. Additionally, this AD prohibits installing an affected engine or FCU on a helicopter unless certain requirements are met. 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 13, 2026. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of January 13, 2026. The FAA must receive comments on this AD by February 12, 2026. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods: • <E T="03">Federal eRulemaking Portal:</E> Go to <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • <E T="03">Fax:</E> (202) 493-2251. • <E T="03">Mail:</E> 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">Hand Delivery:</E> Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. <E T="03">AD Docket:</E> You may examine the AD docket at <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2025-5392; 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 street address for Docket Operations is listed above. <E T="03">Material Incorporated by Reference:</E> • 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: <E T="03">ADs@easa.europa.eu</E> ; website: <E T="03">easa.europa.eu</E> . You may find the EASA material on the EASA website at <E T="03">ad.easa.europa.eu</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-2025-5392. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Mahmood Shah, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817) 222-5538; email: <E T="03">mahmood.g.shah@faa.gov</E> . </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Comments Invited</HD> The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this final rule. Send your comments using a method listed under <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> . Include “Docket No. FAA-2025-5392; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01494-R” at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this final rule because of those comments. Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to <E T="03">regulations.gov,</E> including any personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this final rule. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Confidential Business Information</HD> CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to this AD, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as “PROPIN.” The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Mahmood Shah, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2025-0199, dated September 16, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0199) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition on Leonardo S.p.A. Model A119 and AW119MKII helicopters. The MCAI states that there have been reports of trapped residue in the rear pneumatic line caused by a non-optimal cleaning procedure during an engine shop visit. This condition, if not corrected, could result in uncommanded fuel flow changes, which could lead to accelerations, power rollbacks, or instability, and consequent reduced control of the helicopter. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2025-5392. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51</HD> The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2025-0199, which specifies procedures for repetitively conducting engine acceleration checks for certain helicopters and, depending on the results, replacing the rear pneumatic line and inspecting the FCU pneumatic line input fitting. If there is contamination in the FCU pneumatic line input fitting, EASA AD 2025-0199 specifies procedures for replacing the FCU and cleaning the forward pneumatic line. If no contamination is found in the FCU pneumatic line input fitting, EASA AD 2025-0199 specifies procedures for adjusting the engine acceleration and accomplishing repetitive engine acceleration checks until the rear pneumatic line, engine, or FCU is replaced. Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0199 specifies that for certain helicopters replacing the rear pneumatic line with a serviceable one is a requirement and terminates the repetitive acceleration checks. EASA AD 2025-0199 also specifies that several actions including replacing certain parts and accomplishing certain checks also terminate the repetitive acceleration checks. Finally, EASA AD 2025-0199 prohibits installing an affected engine or FCU on a helicopter unless certain requirements are met. 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 <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> . <HD SOURCE="HD1">FAA's Determination</HD> These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority (CAA) 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 is issuing this AD after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. <HD SOURCE="HD1">AD Requirements</HD> This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 2025-0199, described previously, as incorporated by reference, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD. See “Differences Between this AD and the MCAI” for a discussion of the general differences included in this AD. The owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate may perform the initial acceleration checks and must enter compliance with the applicable paragraph(s) of the AD into the helicopter maintenance records in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The pilot may perform these checks as they involve only a ground check and monitoring of the engine gauges. These actions could be performed equally well by a pilot or a mechanic. This is an exception to the FAA's standard maintenance regulations. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Differences Between This AD and the MCAI</HD> The MCAI specifies to replace the affected pneumatic line with a serviceable pneumatic line immediately if acceleration exceeds the maximum value during the engine acceleration check and within 300 FH [flight hours] or 24 months, whichever occurs first, for all other helicopters. 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