FAA Orders Frequent Grease Checks for Airbus H160 Helicopter Safety
Published Date: 7/2/2025
Rule
Summary
If you fly an Airbus H160-B helicopter, listen up! The FAA wants you to regularly check and grease a key rotor part to keep it safe and sound. These inspections and fixes need to happen often, so plan for some extra time and care to keep your chopper flying smoothly.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Mandatory repetitive swashplate inspections
If you operate an Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B, the FAA requires you to repetitively inspect the main rotor swashplate bearing for the presence of grease and perform corrective actions based on the inspection results. The rule also requires certain operational checks, downloading and analyzing data, and performing one flight under specific conditions when directed.
Grease application and part-installation rules
For Airbus H160-B helicopters, the FAA requires inspecting grease on the swashplate bearing and, depending on the result, applying a specified grease or replacing the grease. The AD also allows installing certain part-numbered swashplate bearings only if specified requirements are met.
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