Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, and AS355N helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a partially broken tail rotor drive fan support (fan support) and a completely broken fan support. This AD requires repetitively inspecting certain part-numbered fan supports (affected parts), and depending on the results, removing an affected part from service and replacing it with a serviceable part, which constitutes a terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This AD also requires replacing affected parts with serviceable parts unless already accomplished and prohibits installing an affected part on any helicopter, as 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.