# 2026-14886: FAA Orders Airbus Helicopter Door Lock Upgrades

2026-14886, Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-07-23, effective The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by September 8, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-30).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14886
- As of: 2026-07-30
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-14886
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 46325
- Published: 2026-07-23
- Effective: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by September 8, 2026.
- Comments close: 2026-09-08
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-07-30

## In one line

FAA Orders Airbus Helicopter Door Lock Upgrades

## Summary

If you own or operate an Airbus EC130B4 helicopter, heads up! The FAA wants to fix weak door locks by requiring changes to the swinging and sliding door supports. You’ll need to update your helicopter soon to keep flying safely, and no new affected doors can be installed unless they meet the new rules. Comments on this plan are open until September 8, 2026, so don’t miss your chance to weigh in!

## Abstract

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters (AH) Model EC130B4 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of weaknesses in the locking mechanisms on the left-hand side swinging and sliding door. This proposed AD would require modifying the swinging door star support and sliding door star support stringer. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing an affected composite door on any helicopter unless certain requirements are met. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Required door-support modification: cost, high. If you own or operate an Airbus Helicopters Model EC130B4, the FAA would require you to modify the left-hand swinging door star support and sliding door star support stringer. The FAA requires this modification within 460 hours time-in-service (TIS) (based on an average of 230 hours TIS per year);…
- Ban on installing affected composite doors: cost, low. The proposed AD prohibits installing an affected composite door on any helicopter unless the specified modification to the door locking/unlocking mechanism has been accomplished. That prohibition means operators or maintenance providers cannot fit an affected composite door without first meeting th…
- FAA drops EASA reporting requirement: benefit, low. Although the EASA service information specifies submitting certain information to the manufacturer, this proposed FAA AD does not require submitting that information. Operators therefore would not have to provide the manufacturer reports that EASA's AD requests.

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## Sources
- [2026-14886 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/23/2026-14886/airworthiness-directives-airbus-helicopters)
- [2026-14886 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-23/pdf/2026-14886.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-14882, Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Engines](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14882)
- [Next: 2026-14891, Air Plan Approval; Pennsylvania; Revision to Source-Specific Reasonably Availab…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14891)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14886 (as of 2026-07-30).