Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Helicopters

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model MBB-BK 117 D-2 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by certification test results of a certain common cargo hook beam (CCHB) on the affected helicopters, which revealed that the installed CCHB could result in fuel leakage following a survivable accident. This proposed AD would require modification of the CCHB and fuel system and installation of structural reinforcement. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing a certain CCHB on any helicopter. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 65492-65494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21123]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2026-11812; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01222-R]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 
(AHD) Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model MBB-BK 117 D-2 
helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by certification test 
results of a certain common cargo hook beam (CCHB) on the affected 
helicopters, which revealed that the installed CCHB could result in 
fuel leakage following a survivable accident. This proposed AD would 
require modification of the CCHB and fuel system and installation of 
structural reinforcement. This proposed AD would also prohibit 
installing a certain CCHB on any helicopter. 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 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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 <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under 
Docket No. FAA-2026-11812; 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:
    <bullet> For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material 
identified in this proposed AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 
50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aaebeed9eacfcbd9cb84cfdfd8c5dacb84cfdf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d79693a497b2b6a4b6f9b2a2a5b8a7b6f9b2a2">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA 
material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    <bullet> 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: Promita Dey, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 
946-4106; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ceceef3f1f5e8fdb2f8f9e5dcfafdfdb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9eeeecf1f3f7eaffb0fafbe7def8ffffb0f9f1e8">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

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-2026-11812; Project 
Identifier MCAI-2025-01222-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 
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, 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 
Promita Dey, 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

    EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2025-0153, dated July 18, 2025 (EASA 
AD 2025-0153) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe 
condition on all AHD Model MBB-BK117 D-2 helicopters, all variants. The 
MCAI states that certification testing of the CCHB installation on AHD 
Model MBB-BK117 D-3 and D-3m helicopters revealed that a survivable 
accident could result in fuel leakage. The MCAI further states that, 
due to design similarity, AHD

[[Page 65493]]

Model MBB-BK117 D-2 helicopters, all variants, could also be affected 
by the same unsafe condition.
    This condition, if not addressed, could lead to fuel leakage and a 
possible fire after a survivable accident involving a helicopter with a 
certain CCHB installed.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under 
Docket No. FAA-2026-11812.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2025-0153, which specifies procedures for 
modification of the CCHB and the fuel system and installation of 
structural reinforcement. EASA AD 2025-0153 also specifies that, as an 
alternative to the modification, operation of a helicopter with an 
affected CCHB part number L851M1301101 installed is prohibited.
    Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0153 specifies procedures to modify the 
helicopter by installing an improved cargo hook weighing system 
concurrently with the modification. EASA AD 2025-0153 also specifies 
that installation of an affected CCHB on any helicopter is prohibited.
    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 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 EASA AD 2025-0153, described previously, as incorporated by 
reference, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the 
regulatory text 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 
EASA AD 2025-0153 by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD 
would, therefore, require compliance with EASA AD 2025-0153 in its 
entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. 
Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular 
section in EASA AD 2025-0153 does not mean that operators need comply 
only with that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to 
``all required actions and compliance times,'' compliance with this AD 
requirement is not limited to the section titled ``Required Action(s) 
and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2025-0153. Material required by 
EASA AD 2025-0153 for compliance will be available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> 
under Docket No. FAA-2026-11812 after the FAA final rule is published.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 28 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modify the fuel system............  75 work-hours x $85      $18,625  $25,000.............  $700,000.
                                     per hour = $6,375.
Install improved fuel pump          4 work-hours x $85        32,909  $33,249.............  $930,972.
 cartridge (4 per helicopter).       per hour = $340.
Modify helicopter Install new CCHB  Up to 11 work-hours      228,985  Up to $229,920......  Up to $6,437,760.
                                     x $85 per hour =
                                     $935.
Modify helicopter retrofit CCHB...  Up to 30 work-hours       10,636  Up to $13,186.......  Up to $369,208.
                                     x $85 per hour =
                                     $2,550.
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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
    (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:

[[Page 65494]]

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD): Docket No. FAA-2026-
11812; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-01222-R.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by November 30, 2026.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) 
Model MBB-BK 117 D-2 helicopters, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 2500, Cabin 
equipment/furnishings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by certification test results of the 
installation of a certain common cargo hook beam (CCHB) identifying 
that the installed CCHB could result in fuel leakage following a 
survivable accident. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent possible 
fuel leakage. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could lead to 
fuel leakage and a possible fire after a survivable accident 
involving a helicopter equipped with a certain CCHB.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply 
with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2025-0153, 
dated July 18, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0153).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2025-0153

    (1) Where EASA AD 2025-0153 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Where EASA AD 2025-0153 requires compliance in terms of 
flight hours, this AD requires using hours time-in-service.
    (3) Where the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0153 specifies 
``discard'', this AD requires replacing that text with ``remove from 
service''.
    (4) Where the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0153 specifies 
``check'', this AD requires replacing that text with ``inspect''.
    (5) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2025-0153.

(i) No Reporting Requirement

    Although the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0153 specifies 
to submit information to the manufacturer, this AD does not require 
that action.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, send 
it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) of 
this AD and email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d6979b999596b0b7b7f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4405090b07042225256a232b32">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Promita Dey, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4106; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8dfdffe2e0e4f9eca3e9e8f4cdebececa3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f4f4d5052564b5e115b5a467f595e5e11585049">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph 
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2025-0153, 
dated July 18, 2025.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 
000; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ca8b8eb98aafabb9abe4afbfb8a5baabe4afbf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1051546350757163713e7565627f60713e7565">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>; website: easa.europa.eu. You may 
find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) 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.
    (5) You may view this material at the National Archives and 
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#761004581f1805061315021f1918361817041758111900"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e08692ce898e9390858394898f8ea08e819281ce878f96">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

    Issued on October 13, 2026.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-21123 Filed 10-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


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