FAA Orders Bell 407 Helicopter Control Stick Inspections
Published Date: 7/17/2026
Rule
Summary
If you fly a Bell Model 407 helicopter, listen up! The FAA found cracks in the pilot’s control stick and now requires regular checks to catch any damage early. Starting August 21, 2026, pilots must inspect and fix or replace the stick if needed to keep flying safe—this might cost some time and money but keeps everyone in the air worry-free.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory inspections and fixes
If you own or operate a Bell Model 407 with the specified cyclic stick part numbers, you must regularly inspect the pilot cyclic stick tube assembly and repair or replace it if cracked. The AD requires following Transport Canada AD CF-2024-18 actions and adds repetitive inspections for assemblies with 3,600 or more hours at intervals not to exceed every 300 hours time-in-service or 6 months, whichever occurs first, starting August 21, 2026.
Estimated per-action and industry costs
The FAA estimates an initial inspection costs $340 (up to 4 work-hours at $85/hour), a recurrent inspection $340, a conditional repair $510, a conditional repetitive inspection $170, and a replacement totals $1,714 (labor $170 plus parts $1,544). The FAA estimates 972 U.S.-registered helicopters are affected and presents low-case industry costs of $994,500 and high-case industry costs of $3,979,368 over a 2-year analysis period.
Which helicopters are affected
This AD applies to Bell Textron Canada Model 407 helicopters that have a pilot cyclic stick tube assembly with part number 206-001-342-101 or 206-001-342-101FM installed. The rule covers those helicopters regardless of certificate category and is effective August 21, 2026.
Small-entity effects and FAA certification
The FAA estimates this AD will affect about 299 domestic entities and identified about 91 small entities among them. The FAA certified under the Regulatory Flexibility Act that the AD will not result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, noting a mean high-case impact of about 0.46 percent of annual revenue.
No reporting obligation included
Although the Transport Canada material references submitting some information to the manufacturer, this FAA AD explicitly states it does not require operators to report inspection results to the FAA or manufacturer. The AD's paragraph (i) says there is no reporting requirement.
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