2026-21932·DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

Proposed RuleComment Period OpenComments open

Published: Oct 28, 2026
Comments close: Dec 14, 2026
Citation: 91 FR 67784
Docket: Docket No. FAA-2026-11818, Project Identifier MCAI-2026-00490-R
Agencies: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Federal Aviation Administration

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

Summary

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a new Airworthiness Directive that would replace an older rule from 2013. The new directive requires owners of certain Airbus Helicopters — specifically the AS350B3 and EC130B4 models equipped with particular starter generators — to update the Limitations section of the aircraft’s flight‑manual supplement so the starter‑generator operating current is capped at 180 amps, and to place a warning placard in the instrument panel indicating this limit. The change is being made because the manufacturer has identified additional helicopters that need the restriction and some that no longer require it, in order to prevent potential electrical failures. The rule is issued by the FAA, the safety‑oversight agency within the Department of Transportation. It applies to operators, maintenance providers, and owners of the affected Airbus Helicopter models in the United States, but does not apply to helicopters that have the excluded engine types identified by the FAA. The notice was published on October 28, 2026, and the FAA will accept written comments until December 14, 2026. After the comment period, the agency will review the feedback and, if it proceeds, will issue a final rule that makes the manual revision and placard installation mandatory. Operators will then have to comply with the new limitation to keep their helicopters airworthy.

AI-generated summary — verify against the Federal Register text.

Official abstract

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2013-01-05, which applies to certain Airbus Helicopters (Eurocopter France) Model AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters. AD 2013-01-05 requires revising the Limitations section of the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM) supplement to reduce the starter generator operating current to 180 amperes (amps) and installing a placard in the instrument panel to indicate the revised limitation. Since the FAA issued AD 2013-01-05, the manufacturer determined the applicability needs to be revised to add helicopters equipped with certain part numbered starter generators and to remove helicopters with certain engines installed. This proposed AD would require revising the Limitations section of the RFM supplement of the existing RFM for the helicopter, to reduce the starter generator operating current to 180 amps and installing a placard in the instrument panel indicating the revised limitation. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.