# 2026-17615: Helicopter Owners Must Fix Tail Rotor Before Mid-September Deadline

2026-17615, Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration published 2026-08-28, effective 2026-09-14; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17615
- As of: 2026-09-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-17615
- Title: Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 55446
- Published: 2026-08-28
- Effective: 2026-09-14
- Comments close: 2026-10-13
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2120-AA64
- Last updated: 2026-09-04

## In one line

Helicopter Owners Must Fix Tail Rotor Before Mid-September Deadline

## Summary

If you own or operate a Bell Textron Canada Model 222 helicopter, listen up! The FAA found a problem with the tail rotor pitch horn that could fail during flight, so they’re requiring you to replace it with a safe one by September 14, 2026. This fix keeps your helicopter flying safely and stops the old parts from being used again. Comments on this rule are open until October 13, 2026.

## Abstract

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 222 helicopters. The FAA previously sent this AD as an emergency AD to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of in- flight fatigue failure of a tail rotor pitch horn. This AD requires removing the affected tail rotor pitch horn and associated tail rotor pitch links from service and installing a serviceable tail rotor pitch horn and associated tail rotor pitch links. This AD also prohibits installing an affected tail rotor pitch horn on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

## Effects PRIA read

- Mandatory replacement of tail rotor part: mixed, medium. If you own or operate a Bell Textron Canada Model 222 helicopter, you must remove tail rotor pitch horn P/N 222-012-774-109 and associated tail rotor pitch links from service and install tail rotor pitch horn P/N 222-012-705-105 or P/N 222-012-705-107 and associated links. The AD is effective Septe…
- No special flight permits allowed: cost, medium. Special flight permits under 14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199 are not allowed for affected helicopters, and the AD requires compliance "before further flight after the effective date of this AD." For owners/operators who received actual notice, the emergency AD was effective August 11, 2026; otherwise this…
- Estimated compliance cost per helicopter: cost, high. The FAA estimates this AD affects 15 U.S.-registered Model 222 helicopters. Verifying the tail rotor pitch horn part number is 1 work-hour at $85 (cost per helicopter $85). If replacement is needed, the FAA estimates 2 work-hours (2 x $85 = $170) plus parts costing $13,730, for an on-condition tota…

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## Sources
- [2026-17615 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/28/2026-17615/airworthiness-directives-bell-textron-canada-limited-helicopters)
- [2026-17615 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-28/pdf/2026-17615.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-17608, Special Local Regulation; Chickahominy River, Williamsburg, VA](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17608)
- [Next: 2026-17616, Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Co…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17616)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17615 (as of 2026-09-04).