government
AS355 helicopter crews may need to verify tail-rotor parts
The proposed rule covers AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2 and AS355N helicopters. The FAA says a wrong label could lead to missed inspections and, in the worst case, a loss of control.
The FAA is proposing a new airworthiness directive for certain Airbus Helicopters models after tail-rotor fan wheels and impeller second stages were misidentified during production. The agency says operators would need to check log cards, inspect any mismatch and replace or re-identify parts as needed.
- Some Airbus helicopter parts were mislabeled during production.
- Operators would have to match records to the hardware.
- A borescope inspection would be required if the log cards and parts do not agree.
- The FAA says the risk is an undetected fatigue failure.
- Some Airbus Helicopters operators could be pulled into a new maintenance scramble if a federal proposal becomes final
Some Airbus Helicopters operators could face a new maintenance check if a federal proposal becomes final. The Federal Aviation Administration says certain AS355 models need a review because some tail-rotor parts were mislabeled during production.
That mismatch matters because mechanics depend on the paperwork as much as the metal. If the records do not line up with the parts in service, the FAA says inspections can be missed and an undetected fatigue failure can follow.
When the log card and part disagree
The proposed airworthiness directive, or AD, would require operators to verify serial numbers and amend the log cards for the affected parts. If the paperwork and the hardware still do not match, crews would have to carry out a one-time borescope inspection, a close internal check used to confirm what is actually installed.
Depending on what that inspection finds, the parts would have to be replaced or re-identified. The FAA says the proposal follows EASA AD 2024-0127, a July 3, 2024 directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency that addressed the same unsafe condition. Comments are due Aug. 3, 2026.