Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration
The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-20-11, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. AD 2022-20-11 requires visually inspecting the external surface of the tail rotor (TR) gearbox support assembly, borescope inspecting or visually inspecting the inside of the tail boom, and performing a tactile inspection. Depending on the results of the inspections, AD 2022-20-11 requires removing certain rivets from service or repairing gaps in accordance with an approved method. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-20-11, the manufacturer determined the repetitive inspection interval needs to be reduced. This proposed AD would require the same actions as AD 2022-20-11 and would reduce the inspection interval. 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-2026-7227; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01754-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) 2022-20-11, which applies to certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. AD 2022-20-11 requires visually inspecting the external surface of the tail rotor (TR) gearbox support assembly, borescope inspecting or visually inspecting the inside of the tail boom, and performing a tactile inspection. Depending on the results of the inspections, AD 2022-20-11 requires removing certain rivets from service or repairing gaps in accordance with an approved method. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-20-11, the manufacturer determined the repetitive inspection interval needs to be reduced. This proposed AD would require the same actions as AD 2022-20-11 and would reduce the inspection interval. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by September 8, 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 Grou…
Citation: 91 FR 46322
