# 2025-12137: FAA Mandates Float Part Replacements for Leonardo Helicopters

2025-12137, Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.a., is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2025-07-01; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12137
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-12137
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.a.
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 90 FR 28237
- Published: 2025-07-01
- Effective: unknown
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

FAA Mandates Float Part Replacements for Leonardo Helicopters

## Summary

If you fly a Leonardo AW169 helicopter, the FAA wants you to replace some float parts to keep things safe. They’re updating rules to include more parts that need swapping out within 24 months or at your next maintenance check. This helps prevent accidents and keeps your helicopter ready to float if needed, with no surprise costs right away but a clear deadline to follow.

## Abstract

The FAA proposes to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2024-09-02, which applies to all Leonardo S.p.a. Model AW169 helicopters. AD 2024-09-02 requires replacing certain aft float assemblies or, as an alternative, deactivating the emergency flotation system (EFS). AD 2024-09-02 also prohibits the installation of certain forward and aft float assemblies. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-09-02, the FAA has determined that replacing additional forward float and aft float life raft assemblies (also referred to as forward and aft float assemblies) is necessary. This proposed AD would retain all actions of AD 2024-09-02 and would also require replacing certain forward and aft float assemblies within 24 months or during the next accomplishment of a maintenance task. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Replace additional float assemblies: mixed, medium. If you operate a Leonardo AW169 helicopter, the FAA proposes you must replace additional forward and aft float assemblies within 24 months or at the next accomplishment of a maintenance task to address an unsafe condition. This requirement would be added to and retain the actions in AD 2024-09-02.
- Keeps installation prohibition on floats: benefit, low. The proposed AD retains the existing prohibition on installing certain forward and aft float assemblies on Leonardo AW169 helicopters that was in AD 2024-09-02. You would not be allowed to install the specific prohibited float assemblies listed in that AD.
- Retains EFS deactivation alternative: mixed, medium. The proposed AD retains the prior AD's alternative that, for certain aft float assemblies, allows deactivating the emergency flotation system (EFS) instead of replacing parts. Operators would still have that alternative from AD 2024-09-02.

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## Sources
- [2025-12137 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/01/2025-12137/airworthiness-directives-leonardo-spa)
- [2025-12137 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-07-01/pdf/2025-12137.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2025-12132, Pipeline Safety: Rationalize Special Permit Conditions](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12132)
- [Next: 2025-12148, Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12148)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12137 (as of 2026-06-11).