FAA Targets Helicopter Batteries in New Safety Rule
Published Date: 2/6/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
If you own or fly Leonardo S.p.a. Model A119 or AW119 MKII helicopters, listen up! The FAA wants to make sure your helicopter’s battery doesn’t suddenly lose power by requiring a new battery discharge detector and updating the flight manual. You’ve got until March 24, 2025, to share your thoughts before these safety upgrades become official—keeping your flights safer without breaking the bank.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Battery detector and flight-manual rule
If you operate a Leonardo Model A119 or AW119 MKII helicopter, the FAA proposes requiring installation of a battery discharge detector and revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) to add updated emergency procedures to prevent loss of battery power. The rule is drawn from EASA AD 2023-0210 and is intended to prevent complete loss of electrical power that could lead to loss of control of the helicopter.
Estimated compliance costs per helicopter
The FAA estimates installing the battery discharge detector will take up to 10 work-hours at $85/hour plus $1,772 in parts for an estimated cost of $2,622 per helicopter, and revising the RFM will take 1 work-hour for $85 per helicopter. The FAA estimates this AD would affect 192 U.S.-registered helicopters, with an estimated fleet cost of $503,424 for installations and $16,320 for RFM revisions; some costs may be covered under warranty.
STC-modified AW119 MKII installation rule
For Model AW119 MKII helicopters modified by STC SR03280NY, the proposed AD requires installing a battery discharge detector using a method approved by the FAA rather than the STC holder approach in the EASA AD; the FAA states it has no data to provide cost estimates for those installations. Operators of AW119 MKII helicopters with STC SR03280NY will need FAA-approved installation instructions for compliance.
Pilot may update flight manual
The proposed AD allows the owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate to revise the existing Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by inserting pages and must record the action in maintenance records per 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 91.417(a)(2)(v). The FAA estimates that revising the RFM takes 1 work-hour and the owner/operator may perform it because inserting pages is not considered maintenance.
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