Airbus Chopper Nuts Get FAA Safety Checkover and Swap Rules
Published Date: 12/17/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
If you fly or fix Airbus Helicopters like the AS350 or AS355 models, listen up! The FAA wants to update safety rules by removing some repetitive paint mark checks but keeping important inspections to keep your helicopter safe. You’ve got until February 2, 2026, to share your thoughts, and these changes might save time and hassle without extra costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Initial inspection and marking required
If you operate or maintain the listed Airbus Helicopters (models AS350B/BA/B1/B2/B3/D and AS355E/F/F1/F2/N/NP), you must, within 50 hours time-in-service after the AD’s effective date, inspect the tail rotor head (TRH) pitch change spider nut for correct installation and mark the TRH pitch change unit and bearing spacer with a 2–5 mm wide black paint index mark. Then within 10 hours TIS after that marking you must visually inspect the alignment of the marking and, if the nut is missing/loose or corrosion/wear/damage is found, remove or replace the affected parts before further flight.
Estimated compliance and repair costs
The FAA estimates this AD would affect 972 U.S.-registered helicopters. The agency estimates each basic inspection or marking action is 1 work-hour at $85 (cost per action $85; total on U.S. operators $82,620 per action). On-condition costs include: TRH pitch change unit inspection 13 work‑hours = $1,105; bush replacement parts $5,918 plus $85 labor = $6,003; rotating plate replacement parts $27,375 plus $85 labor = $27,460 per helicopter.
Parts-installation restriction for certain P/Ns
As of the AD’s effective date, you may not install TRH pitch change unit part numbers 350A33-2030-00, 350A33-2167-00, or 350A33-2167-01 on any helicopter unless, after installation and before further flight, you do the inspections required by paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (g)(1)(ii) of the AD (inspect for corrosion and for rotation/wear) and thereafter perform the actions required by paragraph (g)(1)(iii) at the specified times.
Repeating paint-mark checks removed
The proposed AD removes the requirement for repetitive inspections of the 2–5 mm black paint index marking that AD 2023-01-04 required. Under this proposal you would only need the initial paint index marking and the alignment check within 10 hours TIS, not the ongoing repetitive paint-mark inspections.
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Key Dates
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