# 2026-15365: FAA Tells Bell Helicopter Owners: Swap the Tail Cap, Skip Inspections 2026-15365, Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-07-30, effective 2026-09-03; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-28). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15365 - As of: 2026-10-28 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-15365 - Title: Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters - Type: Rule - Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration - Citation: 91 FR 47953 - Published: 2026-07-30 - Effective: 2026-09-03 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64 - Last updated: 2026-10-28 ## In one line FAA Tells Bell Helicopter Owners: Swap the Tail Cap, Skip Inspections ## Summary If you fly Bell Textron Canada Model 505 helicopters, listen up! The FAA is updating safety rules to require replacing the vertical stabilizer top end cap with a new, improved design by September 3, 2026. This swap stops the need for ongoing crack inspections, keeping your chopper safer and saving you time and hassle. ## Abstract The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2024-02- 55, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) Model 505 helicopters. AD 2024-02-55 required initial and recurring inspections of the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly and corrective action if a crack is found. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-02- 55, the manufacturer introduced a new one- piece vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly, which is implemented during production, and designed a new replacement for the vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly currently in service. This AD continues to require the inspection requirements of AD 2024-02- 55 and would limit the applicability to exclude certain serial numbered BTCL Model 505 helicopters with an improved design vertical stabilizer top end cap installed at production. This AD also requires replacing the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly with an improved design top end cap assembly, which constitutes a terminating action for the recurring detailed visual inspections. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. ## Effects PRIA read - Mandatory inspections of top end cap: cost, high. If you operate a Bell Textron Canada Model 505 helicopter covered by this rule, you must continue initial and recurring detailed visual inspections of the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly and replace it if you find a crack. The rule cites Transport Canada AD CF-2025-32 and is effective Sept… - Required replacement ends inspections: mixed, medium. The AD requires replacing top end cap assembly part number SLS-030-701-125 with the improved machined top end cap assembly P/N SLS-704-701-101; installing the improved part is a terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This requirement is part of the AD effective September 3, 2026. - Estimated per-helicopter compliance costs: cost, high. The FAA estimates per-helicopter costs: initial inspection = 2 work-hours at $85/hour = $170; recurring inspection = 1 work-hour at $85 = $85; replacement labor = 6 work-hours at $85 = $510 plus parts $2,000 for a total replacement cost of $2,510. These cost estimates apply to helicopters of U.S. r… - Total U.S. operator cost and affected fleet: cost, medium. The FAA estimates this AD affects 150 U.S.-registered Model 505 helicopters. Estimated total costs on U.S. operators are $25,500 for initial inspections, $12,750 for a round of recurring inspections, and $376,500 if all affected helicopters require replacement (150 × $2,510). The AD is effective Se… - Some helicopters excluded from AD: benefit, low. The AD limits its applicability to exclude certain serial-numbered Bell Model 505 helicopters that had an improved design vertical stabilizer top end cap installed during production. Owners of those excluded serial numbers are not subject to the inspection/replacement requirements of this AD. 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