AD 2025-10-01

This AD is effective July 11, 2025.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of July 11, 2025.

AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No.FAA-2025-0211; 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:

• For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.

• 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-2025-0211.

Steven Warwick, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817) 222-5225; email: steven.r.warwick@faa.gov.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B2, AS350B3, and EC130B4 helicopters. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 25, 2025 (90 FR 10619). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2023-0107, dated May 26, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0107) (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 there have been reports of a broken cargo swing frame during a flight transition to hover, resulting in loss of the load. Subsequent investigation revealed that the interval for the repetitive inspections of the swing cargo installation, currently defined in operating hours in the applicable aircraft maintenance manual (AMM), must be based on sling cycles (SC), and that certain cargo swing installations have been operated beyond the applicable repetitive inspection interval based on SC.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require repetitively inspecting the cargo swing installation and frame and, depending on the results, performing corrective action, as specified in EASA AD 2023-0107. 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-2025-0211.

The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the costs.

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.

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023-0107, which specifies procedures for a one-time inspection of the cargo swing installation and frame for an anomaly, which may be indicated by a crack, distortion, scratch, hammering mark, or impact mark. Depending on the results, EASA AD 2023-0107 specifies contacting AH [Airbus Helicopters] for approved corrective action instructions and accomplishing those instructions accordingly. 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.

The material referenced in EASA AD 2023-0107 specifies that certain procedures may be done by a pilot with correct training and accreditation, whereas this AD requires those actions be accomplished by persons authorized under 14 CFR 43.3. EASA AD 2023-0107 defines the acronym “SC” as swing cycles, whereas this AD and the alert service bulletin (ASB) referenced in EASA AD 2023-0107 define SC as sling cycles. EASA AD 2023-0107 requires a one-time inspection, whereas this AD requires repetitive inspections to require the updated threshold on an on-going basis. Depending on the inspection results, EASA AD 2023-0107 specifies contacting AH [Airbus Helicopters] to obtain approved corrective action instructions and accomplishing those instructions, whereas this AD requires replacing the cargo swing frame.

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,184 helicopters of U.S. registry. Labor rates are estimated at $85 per hour. Based on these numbers, the FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD.

Visually inspecting the cargo swing installation and frame takes 2 work-hours for an estimated cost of $170 per helicopter and $201,280 for the U.S. fleet. If required, dye penetrant inspecting the cargo swing installation and frame takes 6 work-hours for an estimated cost of $510 per helicopter. Replacing the cargo swing frame takes 4 work-hours and the part costs $25,507, for an estimated cost of $25,847 per helicopter.

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.

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.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

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

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