Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration
The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2024-02-55, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) Model 505 helicopters. AD 2024-02-55 requires initial and recurring inspections of the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly and corrective action if a crack is found. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-02- 55, the manufacturer introduced a new one-piece vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly, which is implemented during production, and designed a new replacement for the vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly currently in service. This proposed AD would continue to require the inspection requirements of AD 2024-02-55 and would limit the applicability to exclude certain serial numbered BTCL Model 505 helicopters with an improved design vertical stabilizer top end cap installed at production. This proposed AD would also require replacing the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly with an improved design top end cap assembly, which would constitute terminating action for the recurring detailed visual inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2026-3477; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01195-R] RIN 2120-AA64 AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2024-02-55, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) Model 505 helicopters. AD 2024-02-55 requires initial and recurring inspections of the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly and corrective action if a crack is found. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-02-55, the manufacturer introduced a new one-piece vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly, which is implemented during production, and designed a new replacement for the vertical stabilizer machined top end cap assembly currently in service. This proposed AD would continue to require the inspection requirements of AD 2024-02-55 and would limit the applicability to exclude certain serial numbered BTCL Model 505 helicopters with an improved design vertical stabilizer top end cap installed at production. This proposed AD would also require replacing the vertical stabilizer top end cap assembly with an improved design top end cap assembly, which would constitute terminating action for the recurring detailed visual inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by May 26, 2026. ADDRESSES: Yo…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 91 FR 17772
