Airworthiness Directive for Airbus Helicopters SA330J Maintenance Records

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Rule

You may be interested in this older document that published on 12/09/2025 with action 'Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).' View Document

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

A Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 04/14/2026

• 1.

1.

• Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Agency/Docket Numbers Docket No. FAA-2025-5038 Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01035-R Amendment 39-23309 AD 2026-08-01 CFR 14 CFR 39 Document Citation 91 FR 19068 Document Number 2026-07171 Document Type Rule Pages 19068-19070
  (3 pages) Publication Date 04/14/2026 RIN 2120-AA64 Published Content - Document Details

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• Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Agency/Docket Numbers Docket No. FAA-2025-5038 Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01035-R Amendment 39-23309 AD 2026-08-01 CFR 14 CFR 39 Document Citation 91 FR 19068 Document Number 2026-07171 Document Type Rule Pages 19068-19070
  (3 pages) Publication Date 04/14/2026 RIN 2120-AA64 Published Content - Document Details

• Document Dates Published Content - Document Dates Effective Date 2026-05-19 Dates Text This AD is effective May 19, 2026. Published Content - Document Dates

• Table of Contents Enhanced Content - Table of Contents This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the
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  • AGENCY:
  • ACTION:
  • SUMMARY:
  • DATES:
  • ADDRESSES:
  • FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
  • SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
  • Background
  • Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive
  • Comments
  • Conclusion
  • Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
  • Differences Between This AD and the MCAI
  • Costs of Compliance
  • Authority for This Rulemaking
  • Regulatory Findings
  • List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
  • The Amendment
  • PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
  • (a) Effective Date
  • (b) Affected ADs
  • (c) Applicability
  • (d) Subject
  • (e) Unsafe Condition
  • (f) Compliance
  • (g) Requirements
  • (h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0127
  • (i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals
  • (j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
  • (k) Additional Information
  • (l) Material Incorporated by Reference Enhanced Content - Table of Contents

• Related Documents Enhanced Content - Related Documents FederalRegister.gov uses the agency dockets published with the document to display related documents.

| Docket No. FAA-2025-5038
(2 Documents) | | | |
| --- | | | |
| Date | | Action | Title |
| | 2026-04-14 | Final rule. | Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters |
| | 2025-12-09 | Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). | Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters |

| Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01035-R
(2 Documents) | | | |
| --- | | | |
| Date | | Action | Title |
| | 2026-04-14 | Final rule. | Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters |
| | 2025-12-09 | Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). | Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters |

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MCAI-2025-01035-R; AIRBUS HELICOPTERS SA 330 J Time Limits / Maintenance Checks

Docket ID FAA-2025-5038 Supporting Documents U.S. DOT/FAA - Supplemental AD Document Enhanced Content - Regulations.gov Data

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Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration

1. 14 CFR Part 39
2. [Docket No. FAA-2025-5038; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01035-R; Amendment 39-23309; AD 2026-08-01]
3. RIN 2120-AA64

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-05-09, which applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model SA330J helicopters. AD 2025-05-09 required revising the existing maintenance records by incorporating new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2025-05-09, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

This AD is effective May 19, 2026.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of May 19, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-5038; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Material Incorporated by Reference:

• For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
• You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-5038.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Adam Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4116; email: adam.hein@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2025-05-09, Amendment 39-22981 (90 FR 14717, April 4, 2025) (AD 2025-05-09). AD 2025-05-09 applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model SA330J helicopters. AD 2025-05-09 required revising the existing maintenance records by incorporating new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA issued AD 2025-05-09 to prevent failure of certain parts, which if not addressed, could result in loss of control of the helicopter.

The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2025 (90 FR 57012). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2025-0127, dated May 28, 2025, (EASA AD 2025-0127) (also referred to as the MCAI) issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. The MCAI states that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been developed.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the ALS of the existing MM or ICAs and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-5038.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of costs.

Conclusion

These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority of another country and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, that authority has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. Except for minor editorial changes, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2025-0127, which specifies procedures for replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing all applicable maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the ALS as defined in EASA AD 2025-0127. Depending on the results of the maintenance tasks, EASA AD 2025- ( printed page 19069) 0127 requires accomplishing corrective action(s) or contacting Airbus Helicopters for approved instructions and accomplishing those instructions.

Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0127 specifies procedures for revising the Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) by incorporating the limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals described in the specified ALS, as applicable. Revising the AMP constitutes terminating action for the requirement to record accomplishment of the actions of replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the applicable ALS as required by EASA AD 2025-0127 for demonstration of AD compliance on a continued basis.

This material is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

EASA AD 2025-0127 specifies, as individual tasks, replacing certain components before exceeding applicable life limits, accomplishing certain maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals as specified in the ALS, as defined within, and depending on the results, accomplishing corrective action, whereas this AD does not because the applicable ALS, along with the FAA regulatory framework, make it unnecessary or inappropriate to adopt certain paragraphs of the MCAI.

EASA AD 2025-0127 also requires revising the approved AMP by incorporating the limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals described in that ALS within 12 months, whereas this AD requires revising the existing maintenance records by incorporating the limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals described in that ALS within 30 days, and clarifies that if the initial instance of an incorporated limitation or threshold therein is reached before 30 days after the effective date of this AD, you still have up to 30 days after the effective date of this AD to accomplish the corresponding task.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects six helicopters of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

| Action | Labor cost | Parts cost | Cost per
product | Cost on U.S.
operators |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Revise the ALS | 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 | $0 | $85 | $510 |

Authority for This Rulemaking

Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements. Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

The FAA has determined that this AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

The Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended] 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by:

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 2025-05-09, Amendment 39-22981 (90 FR 14717, April 4, 2025); and

b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive:

2026-08-01 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-23309; Docket No. FAA-2025-5038; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01035-R.

(a) Effective Date

This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective May 19, 2026.

(b) Affected ADs

This AD replaces AD 2025-05-09, Amendment 39-22981 (90 FR 14717, April 4, 2025).

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to all Airbus Helicopters Model SA330J helicopters, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance Checks.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by new and more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of critical parts and primary structural components, which, if not addressed, could result in loss of control of the helicopter.

(f) Compliance

Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done.

(g) Requirements

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD, comply with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in accordance with European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2025-0127, dated May 28, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0127). ( printed page 19070)

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0127

(1) Where EASA AD 2025-0127 refers to its effective date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.

(2) This AD does not adopt paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) of EASA AD 2025-0127.

(3) Where paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0127 specifies “Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the approved AMP,” this AD requires replacing that text with “Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the airworthiness limitations section of the existing maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable”.

(4) The initial compliance time for doing the tasks specified in paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0127 is on or before the applicable “limitations” and “associated thresholds” as incorporated by the requirements of paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2025-0127 or within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.

(5) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2025-0127.

(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals

After the action required by paragraph (g) of this AD has been done, no alternative actions and associated thresholds and intervals, including life limits, are allowed unless they are approved as specified in the provisions of the “Ref. Publications” section of EASA AD 2025-0127.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) of this AD and email to: AMOC@faa.gov.

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding district office.

(k) Additional Information

For more information about this AD, contact Adam Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4116; email: adam.hein@faa.gov.

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.

(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2025-0127, dated May 28, 2025.

(ii) [Reserved]

(3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.

(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/​federal-register/​cfr/​ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov.

Issued on April 9, 2026.

Steven W. Thompson,

Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 2026-07171 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Published Document: 2026-07171 (91 FR 19068)