What Happened
Safety Regulation Targets Non-Conformant Overload Clutch Assemblies
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) for various helicopter models, including those from Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo S.p.A. The directive, prompted by reports of non-conformant overload clutch assemblies in rescue hoist assemblies, requires operators to replace affected assemblies with serviceable ones and prohibits the installation of affected assemblies unless specific requirements are met. The FAA estimates that this AD will affect 858 helicopters of U.S. registry, with compliance costs estimated at $40,251,354. This action was reported by the Federal Aviation Administration.