[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26901-26906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09516]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2556; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00034-R;
Amendment 39-23330; AD 2026-09-09]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-23-04
which applied to certain Leonardo S.p.A. Model A109E helicopters. AD
2021-23-04 required repetitive inspections of the intersection of the
[[Page 26902]]
lateral pylon and floor spar at station (STA) 1815 for cracking and,
depending on the findings, repair. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-23-04,
it was determined that additional helicopter models are affected by the
unsafe condition. Additionally, the manufacturer has developed a
modification that provides terminating action for the repetitive
inspections. This AD continues to require repetitive inspections of the
affected area for cracking and adds additional helicopter models to the
applicability. This AD also requires modification of the affected area,
which is terminating action for the repetitive inspections. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective June 17, 2026.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of June 17,
2026.
ADDRESSES:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-2556; 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
address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation,
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (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, 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. It is also available at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-2556.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Fitch, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817)
222-4130; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2021-23-04, Amendment 39-21802 (86 FR
68892, December 6, 2021) (AD 2021-23-04), which applied to Leonardo
S.p.A. Model A109E helicopters. AD 2021-23-04 required repetitive
inspections of the intersection of the lateral pylon and floor spar at
STA 1815 for cracking and, depending on the findings, repair. The FAA
issued AD 2021-23-04 to address cracking in the intersection of the
lateral pylon and floor spar at STA 1815 on the left- and right-hand
sides, which, if not addressed, could affect the structural integrity
of the helicopter. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-23-04, it was
determined that additional helicopter models are affected by the unsafe
condition.
The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on September 30,
2025 (90 FR 46768). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2024-0004, dated
January 5, 2024 (EASA AD 2024-0004) (also referred to as the MCAI),
issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of
the European Union. The MCAI states that Leonardo developed a
modification to prevent cracking in the intersection of the lateral
pylon and floor spar at STA 1815 on the left- and right-hand sides.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to continue to require repetitive
inspections of the affected area for cracking and add additional
helicopter models to the applicability. The NPRM also proposed to
require modification of the affected area, which would be terminating
action for the repetitive inspections. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-2556.
Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive
Comments
The FAA received comments from the Citizens Rulemaking Alliance.
The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's
response to each comment.
Request To Issue an NPRM or Justify Forgoing Notice and Comment
The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA either
convert this action to an NPRM or provide its justification for finding
good cause to bypass notice and comment procedures, reopen the comment
period for at least 60 days, and commit to promptly superseding the AD
with an NPRM while suspending enforcement of non-time-critical
provisions pending comment. The commenter asserted the FAA has not
adequately justified use of the good cause exemption to bypass notice
and comment and the 30-day delayed effective date.
The FAA notes the comment was submitted in response to an NPRM for
which the FAA provided a 45-day comment period. This final rule is
effective 35 days after its publication in the Federal Register.
Therefore, no change to this AD is necessary.
Request To Consider Impact on Small Entities
The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA either
provide the factual basis for its Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
certification that the AD will not have a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities or prepare an initial
regulatory flexibility analysis and consider less burdensome
alternatives for small operators. The commenter stated that the FAA
should also reopen the comment period for at least 60 days to allow
comment on that analysis.
The FAA has considered the AD's impact on small businesses and
provides the following factual basis for its RFA certification.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, Public Law 96-354, 94 Stat.
1164 (5 U.S.C. 601-612), as amended by the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-121, 110 Stat. 857,
Mar. 29, 1996) and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-
240, 124 Stat. 2504, Sept. 27, 2010), requires Federal agencies to
consider the effects of the regulatory action on small business and
other small entities and to minimize any significant economic impact.
The term ``small entities'' comprises small businesses and not-for-
profit organizations that are independently owned and operated and are
not dominant in their fields, and governmental jurisdictions with
populations of less than 50,000.
Small Entities to Which This AD Applies
The FAA used the definition of small entities in the RFA for this
analysis. The RFA defines small entities as small businesses, small
governmental jurisdictions, or small organizations. In 5 U.S.C. 601(3),
the RFA defines ``small business'' to have the same meaning as ``small
business concern'' under section 3 of the Small Business Act. The Small
Business Act authorizes the Small Business Administration (SBA) to
[[Page 26903]]
define ``small business'' by issuing regulations.
The SBA (2023) has established size standards for various types of
economic activities, or industries, under the North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS). These size standards generally define
small businesses based on the number of employees or annual receipts.
The following table provides the SBA size standards for all industries
with at least 1 entity impacted by this AD. Note that the SBA
definition of a small business applies to the parent company and all
affiliates as a single entity.
Small Business Size Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAICS Code Description Size standard
------------------------------------------------------------------------
238220............. Plumbing, Heating, and Air- $19.0 million.
Conditioning Contractors.
336411............. Aircraft Manufacturing.......... 1,500 employees.
336412............. Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts 1,500 employees.
Manufacturing.
336413............. Other Aircraft Parts and 1,250 employees.
Auxiliary Equipment
Manufacturing.
423860............. Transportation Equipment and 175 employees.
Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.
481211............. Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger 1,500 employees.
Air Transportation.
481219............. Other Nonscheduled Air $25.0 million.
Transportation.
484110............. General Freight Trucking, Local. $34.0 million.
488190............. Other Support Activities for Air $40.0 million.
Transportation.
523910............. Miscellaneous Intermediation/ $47.0 million.
Venture Capital Retiring.
523991............. Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody $47.0 million.
Activities.
525990............. Other Financial Vehicles........ $40.0 million.
532411............. Commercial Air, Rail, and Water $45.5 million.
Transportation Equipment Rental
and Leasing.
541614............. Process, Physical Distribution, $20.0 million.
and Logistics Consulting
Services.
621910............. Ambulance Services.............. $22.5 million.
622110............. General Medical and Surgical $47.0 million.
Hospitals.
713990............. All Other Amusement and $9.0 million.
Recreation Industries.
921120............. Legislative Bodies.............. 50,000
population.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
To identify small entities, the FAA first identified the primary
NAICS of the entity or parent company, and then used data from
different sources (e.g., company annual reports, Bureau of
Transportation Statistics) to determine whether the entity meets the
applicable size standard. The FAA provides the estimated number of
small entities affected by this AD:
Estimated Number of Small Entities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Number of small Small entities
Category entities entities %
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors........... 1 1 100
Aircraft Manufacturing........................................ 1 0 0
Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing................ 1 1 100
Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing.... 3 3 100
Transportation Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers.... 1 1 100
Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation........... 7 6 86
Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation......................... 3 3 100
General Freight Trucking, Local............................... 1 1 100
Other Support Activities for Air Transportation............... 4 4 100
Miscellaneous Intermediation/Venture Capital Retiring......... 1 0 0
Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities...................... 5 4 80
Other Financial Vehicles...................................... 1 0 0
Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment 1 1 100
Rental and Leasing...........................................
Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting 1 1 100
Services.....................................................
Ambulance Services............................................ 3 1 33
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals........................ 3 0 0
All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries................. 1 1 100
Legislative Bodies............................................ 1 0 0
-------------------------------------------------
Total..................................................... 39 28 72
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance Requirements
The FAA estimates operators will incur either an inspection cost of
$1,394 annually or a one-time modification cost of $25,860 per
helicopter. Once an operator incurs the one-time modification cost, the
operator will no longer incur annual inspection costs. The FAA cannot
estimate when each operator will incur this modification cost. In
addition, some of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty,
thereby reducing the cost impact on affected operators. The FAA
analyzes the cost of each compliance method relative to the annual
revenue of each small entity. The following table shows the estimated
compliance costs by each NAICS industry.
[[Page 26904]]
Average Costs of Compliance per Small Entity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Average one-
Average annual annual time
Category revenue inspection modification
cost cost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors................ $3,000,000 $1,394 $25,860
Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing..................... 3,000,000 1,394 25,860
Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing......... 1,890,307 7,435 137,920
Transportation Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers......... 3,000,000 1,394 25,860
Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation................ 690,175 1,626 30,170
Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation.............................. 158,213 1,394 25,860
General Freight Trucking, Local.................................... 7,500,000 1,394 25,860
Other Support Activities for Air Transportation.................... 3,500,608 2,091 38,790
Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities........................... 1,914,808 3,137 58,185
Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and 860,000 1,394 25,860
Leasing...........................................................
Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting Services.. 14,730,000 1,394 25,860
Ambulance Services................................................. 17,740,000 1,394 25,860
All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries...................... 520,000 1,394 25,860
--------------------------------------------
Average........................................................ 2,977,165 2,440 45,255
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Significant Alternatives Considered
The FAA evaluated the alternative of not promulgating this AD but
ultimately deemed that this alternative would create a significant
safety hazard. Since the issuance of AD 2021-23-04, which affected
certain Leonardo S.p.A. Model A109E helicopters, it has been determined
that the risk of structural cracking at the intersection of the lateral
pylon and floor spar extends to additional helicopter models. Relying
on the existing requirements would leave these additional models
unmonitored. By expanding the applicability and requiring the
modification, this AD addresses the unsafe condition and prevents
potential structural failure, ensuring a level of safety that the
alternative of no action could not provide.
RFA Conclusions
Based on average compliance costs, the FAA has determined that the
financial impacts of this AD are not disproportionate to small
entities. Therefore, the FAA did not change this AD as a result of this
comment.
Request To Comply With the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA revise the
AD to comply with the PRA if reporting is required or make any
reporting provisions voluntary until PRA requirements are satisfied.
The FAA notes that paragraph (i) of this AD specifies that this AD
does not require reporting. If an AD were to require reporting, the
preamble of the AD would include a paragraph titled ``Paperwork
Reduction Act'' that would provide the applicable OMB control number,
required PRA statements, and the estimated time to collect the required
information (burden). Any costs associated with the reporting
requirement would be included in the Costs of Compliance section in the
preamble of the AD. Therefore, the FAA did not change this AD as a
result of this comment.
Request To Make Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Materials Reasonably
Available
The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance stated that the FAA's current
practices for IBR frequently fail to meet the legal and regulatory
standards for reasonable availability. The commenter called on the FAA
to guarantee that all IBR materials are easily and freely accessible to
the public and affected parties for the duration of the comment period
and to reopen the comment period for at least 60 days to accommodate
this access.
The FAA's practices comply with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) of the
Administrative Procedure Act and 1 CFR part 51. The FAA makes IBR
materials available in the AD docket when the final rule is published
in the Federal Register, following formal approval of the IBR by the
Office of the Federal Register. Materials may only be posted before the
final rule's publication if they are already publicly available or if
there is written consent from the owner of the IBR material. All
relevant materials incorporated by reference will be accessible in the
AD docket on Regulations.gov, which the public can access without
registration or fees.
The FAA also provides summaries and access details in the preamble
and regulatory text, makes materials available for inspection at FAA
and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) offices, offers
publisher contact information, and obtains formal IBR approval from the
Office of the Federal Register. These efforts are intended to ensure
that all IBR materials meet the ``reasonably available'' standard
required by 1 CFR part 51. Therefore, the FAA did not change this AD as
a result of this comment.
Request To Provide the Regulatory Evaluation
The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA add to the
AD docket the regulatory evaluation of the proposed AD and reopen the
comment period for at least 60 days to allow for public input on the
additional cost information.
The FAA's practice is to add the regulatory evaluation of the
proposed AD in the NPRM, not as a separate document in the AD docket.
In the Costs of Compliance section of the NPRM, the FAA disclosed
the estimated number of work hours, the number of helicopters affected
on the U.S. registry (which has been updated in this final rule),
estimated parts cost, and the aggregate costs for the U.S. fleet. The
FAA has revised the Costs of Compliance section to clarify costs of
this AD. Since the FAA provided the regulatory evaluation in the NPRM,
and the commenter did not provide additional information for the FAA to
consider in its analysis, it is not necessary to reopen the comment
period or provide additional information in the AD docket.
Conclusion
These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority
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
[[Page 26905]]
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI
referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any
comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting
this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products. Except for minor editorial
changes, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the
changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2024-0004, which specifies procedures for
repetitive inspections of STA 1815 for cracking; fluorescent liquid
penetrant inspections of any cracking to determine the extent of the
cracking, or other damage, such as deformation or corrosion; and
modifying the affected area by reinforcing the fuselage, which provides
terminating action for the repetitive inspections. 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.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD affects 81 helicopters of U.S.
Registry. The FAA estimates that operators will incur an annual
inspection cost of $1,394 ($510 per inspection cycle) until they make
the modification, and then they will incur a one-time modification cost
of $25,860 per helicopter ($12,930 per fuselage side). Once an operator
incurs a one-time modification cost, the operator will no longer incur
inspection costs. The FAA does not estimate when operators would need
to modify their helicopter.
Estimated Compliance Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total cost to U.S.
Action Labor costs Parts cost Cost per product operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection...................... Up to 6 work-hours $0................ $1,394 annually $112,914 annually.
x $85 \1\ per \2\.
hour = $510 per
inspection cycle.
Modification.................... 120 work-hours per $5,460 ($2,730 per $25,860 one-time $2,094,660 one-
fuselage side x side). cost. time cost.
$85 per hour x 2
sides = $20,400
($10,200 per
side).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The FAA estimated operators will incur $85 in costs per labor hour, which is the weighted average fiscal
year (FY) 2026 fully loaded wage of an aircraft mechanic ($69.85) working 60% of the labor hours and a general
and operations manager ($108.15) working 40% of the labor hours. The FAA estimated these wages by taking the
average of the FY 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) air transportation industry average wage for aircraft
mechanics and general and operations managers (See: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Query System,
BLS (May 2024), data.bls.gov/oes/); multiplying each wage by a fringe benefit factor of 1.42 (See: Employer
Cost for Employee Compensation--December 2024, BLS (2024), bls.gov/news.release/archives/ecec_03142025.pdf);
and adjusting these 2024 wages to 2026 dollars using an implicit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Price Deflator
of 2.8% (See: Gross Domestic Product: Implicit Price Deflator, FRED (2026) fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPDEF).
\2\ The FAA estimates the average helicopter will need 2.73 annual inspections. A helicopter must be inspected
every 100 hours in service, and the average general aviation or part 135 helicopter operated 273.3 hours in
calendar year 2024 (See: General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Surveys--CY 2024, faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/cy2024).
The FAA recognizes that operators might incur additional costs,
such as helicopter downtime. However, the FAA cannot quantify these
costs. According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this AD may
be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected
operators.
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 has determined that this AD will not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Will 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 Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
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:
0
a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 2021-23-04, Amendment 39-21802 (86
FR 68892, December 6, 2021); and
0
b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive:
2026-09-09 Leonardo S.p.A.: Amendment 39-23330; Docket No. FAA-2025-
2556; Project Identifier MCAI-2024-00034-R.
[[Page 26906]]
(a) Effective Date
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective June 17, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2021-23-04, Amendment 39-21802 (86 FR 68892,
December 6, 2021).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Leonardo S.p.A. Model A109E and A109S
helicopters, certificated in any category, as identified in European
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2024-0004, dated January 5,
2024 (EASA AD 2024-0004).
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code 5300, Fuselage
structure.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of cracking in the center
fuselage frame assembly in the intersection of the lateral pylon and
floor spar at station 1815 on the left- and right-hand sides and the
subsequent development of a modification to that area to prevent
cracking. The FAA is issuing this AD to address this cracking,
which, if not addressed, could affect the structural integrity of
the helicopter.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Requirements
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 EASA AD 2024-0004.
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2024-0004
(1) Where EASA AD 2024-0004 requires compliance in terms of
flight hours, this AD requires using hours time-in-service.
(2) Where EASA AD 2024-0004 refers to the effective date of EASA
AD 2020-0256, this AD requires using the effective date of AD 2021-
23-04, which is January 10, 2022.
(3) Where EASA AD 2024-0004 refers to its effective date and
August 11, 2022 (the effective date of EASA AD 2022-0153, dated July
28, 2022), this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(4) Where paragraphs (3) and (4) of EASA AD 2024-0004 specify
damage, for the purposes of this AD, damage includes, but is not
limited to, corrosion or deformation.
(5) Where paragraph (5) of EASA AD 2024-0004 specifies
contacting Leonardo for approved repair instructions and
accomplishing those instructions accordingly, this AD requires that
corrective action be done in accordance with a method approved by
the Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA; or EASA; or
Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters' EASA Design Organization Approval
(DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-
authorized signature.
(6) Where paragraph (7) of EASA AD 2024-0004 specifies ``the
initial inspection'', for this AD, replace that text with ``any
inspection''.
(7) Where paragraph (8) of EASA AD 2024-0004 allows credit for
repairs accomplished in accordance with the applicable Leonardo
approved repair instructions, this AD does not allow that credit.
(8) Where the material referenced in EASA AD 2024-0004 specifies
discarding parts, this AD requires removing those parts from
service.
(9) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD
2024-0004.
(i) No Reporting Requirement
Although the service material referenced in EASA AD 2024-0004
specifies submitting certain information to the manufacturer, this
AD does not include that action.
(j) Special Flight Permits
Special flight permits are prohibited.
(k) 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 (l) of
this AD and email to: [email protected].
(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.
(l) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Jacob Fitch,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue., Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (817) 222-4130; email:
[email protected].
(m) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of the service material listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this service material as applicable to do the
actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2024-0004,
dated January 5, 2024.
(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: [email protected]; 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 www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].
Issued on May 7, 2026.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-09516 Filed 5-12-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P