2026-14238: Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 134 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 43345-43348] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-14238] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2026-7220; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01738-R] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

Agency

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

Action

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-27-08, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 407 helicopters. AD 2022-27-08 requires inspecting the tailboom attachment structure and reporting the inspection results. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27-08, two additional broken upper-left tailboom attachment bolts have been reported. This proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the tail boom attachment structure, performing a torque inspection, and replacing attachment hardware. This proposed AD would also include performing a detailed inspection of the tail boom assembly and associated aft fuselage structure, which would be a terminating action to the repetitive inspection requirements. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing certain longeron assemblies. This proposed AD would also require revising the existing airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the helicopter maintenance manual to include a new life limit for the tail boom attachment bolts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Dates

The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by August 31, 2026.

Addresses

You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Fax: (202) 493-2251. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-7220; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above. Material Incorporated by Reference: For Transport Canada material identified in this proposed AD, contact Transport Canada, Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159 Cleopatra Drive, Nepean, Ontario, K1A 0N5, Canada; phone: (888) 663-3639; email: [email protected]; website: tc.canada.ca/en/aviation. [[Page 43346]] 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.

For Further Information Contact

Soban Saeed, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4123; email: [email protected].

Supplementary Information

Comments Invited The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Send your comments using a method listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2026-7220; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01738-R'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposal because of those comments. Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM. Confidential Business Information CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Soban Saeed, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking. Background The FAA issued AD 2022-27-08, Amendment 39-22293 (87 FR 79794, December 28, 2022), (AD 2022-27-08), for certain Bell Model 407 helicopters. AD 2022-27-08 was prompted by Transport Canada AD CF-2022- 68, dated December 15, 2022 (Transport Canada AD CF-2022-68), issued by Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada. Transport Canada AD CF-2022-68 was issued following a Bell Model 407 helicopter accident and the issuance of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident Preliminary Report Number ANC22FA041. AD 2022-27-08 requires a one-time torque inspection of the tail boom attachment hardware and inspection of the tail boom attachment fittings and longerons for damage, corrosion or cracks, and security of attachment and, depending on the results of the inspection, performing corrective actions, which include repair. AD 2022-27-08 also requires reporting the inspection findings to the manufacturer. The FAA issued AD 2022-27-08 to correct an unsafe condition identified as failure of the tail boom attachment hardware. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in separation of the tail boom from the helicopter and loss of control of the helicopter. Actions Since AD 2022-27-08 Was Issued Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27-08, Transport Canada superseded Transport Canada AD CF-2022-68 and issued Transport Canada AD CF-2025- 59, dated November 19, 2025 (Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59) (also referred to as the MCAI). The MCAI states two additional reports of broken upper-left tail boom attachment bolts were received. The manufacturer has determined that the failure of the upper-left longeron assembly was caused by either improper manufacturing or improper installation of the upper-left longeron assembly. The MCAI further states that both failures may result in fretting or fatigue damage of the attachment bolts or the aft fuselage longeron fittings, which could lead to their failure and consequent separation of the tail boom from the fuselage and loss of control of the helicopter. Accordingly, Bell determined that additional inspections, corrective actions, prohibitions, and revising the existing ALS of the helicopter maintenance planning information are necessary. In addition, since the issuance of AD 2022-27-08, the FAA received a comment from NYPD Aviation Unit who provided no comments on the actions nor on the determination of the costs. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-7220. Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51 The FAA reviewed Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59, which specifies procedures for initial and repetitive inspections of the tail boom attachment structure (inspecting for cracks, dents, loose fasteners, security of attachment, deformation, corrosion and general condition, and inspecting for gaps at the upper-left attachment interface) and depending on the results of the inspections, contacting Bell for corrective actions. Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 also specifies procedures for replacing the tailboom attachment hardware with a new bolt and nut, and performing a torque check (inspection) of the tail boom attachment nuts and depending on the results, replacing parts with new parts and stabilizing the torque. Measuring the gap between the upper-left longeron aft fitting face and the aft fuselage bulkhead and removing the tail boom assembly for a detailed inspection of the aft fuselage upper longerons, aft fuselage lower longerons, aft fuselage bulkhead, tail boom intercostals and the tail boom forward bulkhead (inspecting for cracks, dents, loose fasteners, security of attachment, deformation, corrosion and general condition) and depending on the results of the inspections, contacting Bell for corrective actions is a terminating action to the repetitive inspection requirements. Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 also specifies procedures for completing the new life limitations contained in the applicable ALS. Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 also prohibits the installation of an upper-left longeron assembly part number (P/N) 206-031-314-237B or P/N 206-031-314-237S on any helicopter. 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. FAA's Determination These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority (CAA) 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 [[Page 43347]] unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM This proposed AD would require the actions specified in Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. See ``Differences Between this Proposed AD and the MCAI'' for a discussion of the general differences included in this proposed AD. Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 requires torque checks, whereas this proposed AD would require torque inspections because those actions must be accomplished by a mechanic that meets the requirements of 14 CFR part 65 subpart D. Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 requires contacting Bell Product Support Engineering for a disposition or instructions to rectify any defect, whereas this proposed AD would require accomplishing repairs in accordance with a method approved by the Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, or Transport Canada, or Bell Textron Canada Limited's Transport Canada Design Approval Organization. Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 requires completing the new limitations contained in Table 1 of the applicable ALS, whereas this proposed AD would require revising the existing ALS of the helicopter maintenance planning information by incorporating Table 1 of the applicable ALS. Explanation of Required Compliance Information In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD process, the FAA developed a process to use some CAA ADs as the primary source of information for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the FAA incorporates Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with Transport Canada AD CF- 2025-59 in its entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Material required by in Transport Canada AD CF-2025-59 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA- 2026-7220 after the FAA final rule is published. Costs of Compliance The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 950 helicopters of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD: Estimated Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cost on U.S. Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inspect tailboom attachment 2 work-hours x $85 $0 $170 per inspection. $161,500 per structure. per hour = $170. inspection. Torque inspection................. 1 work-hour x $85 0 $85 per inspection.. $80,750. per hour = $85. Remove and inspect tail boom 10 work-hours x $85 0 $850................ $807,500. assembly. per hour = $850. Revise ALS........................ 1 work-hour x $85 0 $85................. $80,750. per hour = $85. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The FAA estimates the following costs to do any replacement or repairs that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of helicopters that might need these replacements or repairs: On-Condition Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Replace hardware.............................. 2 work-hours x $85 per hour = $170 $340 $170. Replace aft fuselage bulkhead................. 12 work hours x $85 per hour = 2,106 3,126 $1,020. Replace aft fuselage upper longerons.......... 35 work hours x $85 per hour = 17,862 20,837 $2,975. Replace aft fuselage lower longerons.......... 24 work hours x $85 per hour = 8,397 10,437 $2,040. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The FAA has no data to determine the costs to accomplish approved repairs. 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 determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 the proposed regulation: [[Page 43348]] (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866, (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and (3) Would 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 Proposed Amendment Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows: PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES 0