Helicopter rotors loose? FAA says tighten up!
Published Date: 4/15/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants all owners of certain Airbus Helicopters to check and fix the tightness of a key rotor part to keep flying safe. If the part isn’t tight enough, they’ll need to fix it and report what they find. Comments on this plan are open until May 30, 2025, and these checks could save money by preventing bigger problems later.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Required corrective repairs and high-cost replacements
If the inspection finds issues, you must take corrective actions such as applying torque, lock-wire, and sealing compound, inspecting threads, and, depending on results, replacing the ball bearing end or the entire MR servo-control. The FAA estimates applying torque/etc. at $127.50 per helicopter; replacing a ball bearing end at $1,384 each (1 work-hour plus $1,299 parts); and replacing an MR servo-control at $41,124 each (1 work-hour plus $41,039 parts).
Mandatory torque inspection for rotor servo-controls
If you own or operate Airbus Helicopters Model AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, EC155B1, SA-365N, or SA-365N1, you must perform a one-time inspection of the tightening torque on each nut that connects the upper ball bearing end to all three main-rotor (MR) servo-controls. The FAA estimates this inspection takes 1 work-hour and would cost $255 per helicopter, and the rule applies to 63 U.S.-registered helicopters.
Mandatory inspection reporting to Airbus Helicopters
You must report inspection results (including no findings) to Airbus Helicopters. If the inspection is done on or after the effective date of this AD, submit the report within 30 days after the inspection; if the inspection was done before the effective date, submit the report within 30 days after the effective date. The FAA estimates reporting takes about 1 work-hour and costs $85 per helicopter.
Inspections must be done by certificated maintenance personnel
The AD requires that the torque 'check' (termed an "inspection" in this AD) be accomplished by persons authorized under 14 CFR 43.3 (certificated maintenance personnel). The FAA did not adopt the owner/operator (private pilot) authorization for this action in this proposed AD.
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Key Dates
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