AD 2025-06067

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 68 (Thursday, April 10, 2025)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 15306-15310] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2025-06067]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2025-0613; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00180-R; Amendment 39-23008; AD 2025-07-06] RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

[[Page 15307]]

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2024-26- 01, which applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B helicopters. AD 2024-26-01 required measuring the axial play of the rotating scissors spherical bearings, and depending on the results, accomplishing corrective action and reporting inspection results. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-26-01, Airbus Helicopters issued revised material to extend the applicability to all rotating scissors spherical bearing serial numbers, change the initial compliance time, establish repetitive inspections, and extend the reporting requirements. This AD was prompted by a determination that the initial compliance time and reporting requirement needed to be modified and repetitive inspections for certain axial play measurements added. This AD retains the actions required in AD 2024-26-01, revises the initial compliance time, extends the definition of an affected part to all serial numbered rotating scissors spherical bearings, extends the reporting requirements, and requires repetitive inspections. This AD also prohibits installing an affected rotating scissors spherical bearing unless certain requirements are met. These actions are specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 25, 2025. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 25, 2025. The FAA must receive comments on this AD by May 27, 2025.

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-2025-0613; 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 final rule, 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 EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: [email protected]; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N- 321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-0613.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zain Jamal, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (847) 294-7264; email: [email protected].