# 2026-06690: FAA to Bell Helicopter Owners: Check Those Rotors or Else!

2026-06690, Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-04-07, effective 2025-05-13; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06690
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-06690
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 17610
- Published: 2026-04-07
- Effective: 2025-05-13
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

FAA to Bell Helicopter Owners: Check Those Rotors or Else!

## Summary

If you fly Bell Model 430 helicopters, listen up! The FAA wants to update safety rules about some key rotor parts to keep your ride safe and sound. They’re asking for your thoughts by May 22, 2026, and these changes might affect maintenance schedules and costs.

## Abstract

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-09-03, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 430 helicopters. AD 2025-09-03 reduced the life limits on the main rotor (M/R) clevises, universal bearings, universal to pitch link bolts, the tube assembly, and the rod end assembly and requires replacing the M/R pitch link assemblies with re-identified part numbered assemblies. Since the FAA issued AD 2025-09-03, the FAA received comments proposing changes to the actions of AD 2025-09-03. This proposed AD proposes changes to actions in AD 2025-09-03 and addresses the comments received. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Applies to 29 Bell Model 430s: cost, high. This proposed Airworthiness Directive applies only to Bell Model 430 helicopters with serial numbers 49001 through 49129 and would affect 29 U.S.-registered helicopters. If finalized, owners/operators of those helicopters must comply with the rule and may incur inspection and repair costs; the FAA…
- Magnetic Particle Inspection Now Conditional: benefit, medium. The FAA removed the prior requirement to perform a magnetic particle inspection (MPI) after every detailed inspection. Under this proposed AD you must perform an MPI only if the detailed inspection finds linear indications on the main rotor (M/R) clevis.
- Re-identification Requirement Kept: cost, low. The FAA is keeping the requirement to re-identify universal bearings, pitch link assemblies, and sub-components per the Bell Alert Service Bulletin procedures; re-identification is estimated at 1 work-hour ($85) per product. The FAA rejected requests to remove that re-identification requirement.
- Certain Pitch Link P/Ns Replaced On-Condition: benefit, low. The FAA states that M/R pitch link assemblies with part numbers 430-010-411-109, -109FM, -111, and -111FM are replaced on-condition and are not required by this AD to be replaced before a life limit. This exception aligns those specific part numbers with replacement-on-condition practices.
- Estimated Inspection and Repair Costs Listed: cost, high. The FAA estimated per-helicopter costs: review records $22; inspect pitch link tube assembly $340; inspect M/R clevis $170 per inspection; inspect universal bearing/hardware $170 per inspection; re-identify components $85; MPI $340 per inspection. On-condition replacement cost examples: M/R clevis…

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## Sources
- [2026-06690 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/07/2026-06690/airworthiness-directives-bell-textron-canada-limited-helicopters)
- [2026-06690 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-07/pdf/2026-06690.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-06677, Establishment of Class E Airspace; Mountain Home, TX](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06677)
- [Next: 2026-06691, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06691)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06690 (as of 2026-06-11).