2026-19970: Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 61806-61808] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-19970] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2026-11791; Project Identifier MCAI-2026-00491-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 adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 505 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require revising the airworthiness limitation schedule (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 proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Dates

The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by November 16, 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-2026-11791; 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 AD, contact Transport Canada, Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159 Cleopatra Drive, Nepean, Ontario, K1A 0N5, Canada; phone: (888) 663-3639; email: [email protected]. You may find the Transport Canada material on the Transport Canada website at tc.canada.ca/en/aviation. 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

Zakaria Abdi, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4141; 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-2026-11791; Project Identifier MCAI-2026-00491-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 this 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 [[Page 61807]] 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 Zakaria Abdi, 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 Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1, dated July 21, 2026 (Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition on certain Bell Model 505 helicopters. Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1 supersedes Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20, dated May 7, 2026, to clarify the issue number of the Chapter 4 of the ALS referenced in the corrective actions. The MCAI states that Bell has introduced new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations due to revised fatigue assessments that revealed the need for new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations on certain life-limited components than were initially proposed. This condition, if not addressed, could result in failure of critical parts and primary structural components and loss of control of the helicopter. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-11791. Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51 The FAA reviewed Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1, 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 Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1. 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 ADDRESSES. 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 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 accomplishing the actions specified in Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1, described previously, as incorporated by reference, 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 Where Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1 specifies, within the discard times identified, completion of the new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, this proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing MM or ICA and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program to incorporate the new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as applicable, within 30 days after the effective date of this proposed AD. 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 proposes to incorporate Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1 by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with Transport Canada AD CF-2026-20R1 in its entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Material required by Transport Canada AD CF- 2026-20R1 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2026-11791 after the FAA final rule is published. Costs of Compliance The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 191 helicopters of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD: Estimated Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cost per Cost on U.S. Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revise the ALS........................ 1 work-hour x $85 per $0 $85 $16,235 hour = $85. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 this proposed regulation: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866, (2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and [[Page 61808]] (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