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FAA targets mislabeled Bell 505 tail cones
The FAA wants operators of certain Bell 505 helicopters to check the tail-cone plate for the right part number, replace it if needed and update the logbook so the assembly doesn’t stay in service past its limit.
In Washington, the FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 505 helicopters after reports that some tail-cone identification plates carry the wrong part number. The issue is not cosmetic. That plate is part of the system crews use to track the assembly’s life limit, the point at which it has to come out of service.
Comment deadline: August 6, 2026 Submit comments: https://www.regulations.gov Effective date: June 17, 2026
Transport Canada, Canada’s aviation authority, issued its own directive on Jan. 26, 2026, for the same problem. The FAA says the U.S. fleet needs its own rule because the same design is flying here.
A number that decides service life
If the wrong part number stays on the plate, a tail cone assembly can be misread as having a longer life than it really does. That is where the safety concern starts. The FAA says missing the real limit could allow the part to stay in use too long, with fatigue cracking in the tailboom as the worst-case outcome and a possible loss of control.
This is a maintenance-labeling problem, but it reaches beyond paperwork. The aircraft itself is not being redesigned. The agency is trying to make sure the right hardware is identified, tracked and retired on time.
The hangar check
The proposed directive would require operators to verify the tail cone assembly part number and, if the identification plate is incorrect, replace it with one showing the right number. They would also need to update the helicopter’s log card or equivalent record.
The FAA says the proposal would affect 182 helicopters of U.S. registry. Comments are due Aug. 6, 2026.
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT Docket ID: FAA-2026-4658 RIN: 2120-AA64 CFR parts: 14 CFR Part 39 Comment deadline: August 6, 2026 Effective date: June 17, 2026 Submit comments: https://www.regulations.gov Contact: Brande Ali-Turner • Aviation Safety Engineer • (847) 294-7132 • brande.ali-turner@faa.gov • 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590