SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Safran Model Arriel 2E engines. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2025 (90 FR 46368). The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 2025-0079, dated April 10, 2025 (EASA AD 2025-0079) (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 new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been developed, and the restrictive limitations include replacing life-limited parts before exceeding the applicable life limit, performing applicable maintenance tasks, and revising the approved aircraft maintenance program.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program to incorporate the ALS of the existing approved AMP, as applicable. 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-2025-2557.

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

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that the FAA either provide its justification for finding good cause to bypass notice and comment procedures or convert this action to an NPRM with a delayed 30-day effective date. 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, 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 requested that the FAA make IBR material available and free to the public during the comment period. Alternatively, they requested that material be published in the Federal Register . The commenter asserted that this AD incorporates by reference manufacturer service information.

The FAA notes that this AD incorporates by reference EASA AD 2025-0079, not the manufacturer service information referenced in that EASA AD. The FAA posted EASA AD 2025-0079 to the AD docket when the NPRM was published in the Federal Register . The material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0079 may only be posted before the final rule's publication if it is already publicly available or if there is written consent from the owner of that material. Additionally, the FAA provided notice in the NPRM that the material referenced in EASA AD 2025-0079 will be available in the AD docket after this AD is published. The FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

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.

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 (Pub. L. 104-121, 110 Stat. 857, Mar. 29, 1996) and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 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 define “small business” by issuing regulations.

The SBA 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 one known 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.

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. This AD affects 24 identifiable domestic entities, of which 11 are small entities. The following table displays the industries of the small entities, their average annual revenue, and the AD's estimated cost burden relative to average annual revenue.

RFA Conclusions

While FAA has determined that this final AD affects a substantial number of identifiable small entities, the compliance cost of the AD relative to each small entity's annual revenue is minimal. The FAA estimates the total cost per affected entity to be $85 (1 work-hour × $85 per work-hour), which is 0.02% of the average small entity's total annual revenue. Therefore, as provided in section 605(b), the FAA certifies this AD will not result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 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 proposed AD to comply with the PRA if reporting is required. If reporting is not required, the commenter requested the FAA clarify that in the AD.

The FAA notes 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 Consider Compliance Alternatives

The Citizens Rulemaking Alliance requested that, if the proposed AD requires parts replacement or shop visits, the FAA adjust compliance times or provide alternative method of compliance (AMOC) pathways to reflect parts availability and maintenance capacity constraints, while maintaining an appropriate margin of safety.

The FAA disagrees with the request. The FAA notes that this AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, which requires neither replacement parts nor a shop visit. Furthermore, AMOC pathways already exist under the provisions of paragraph (j) of this AD. The FAA will ( printed page 47945) consider requests for approval of an extension of the compliance time or other AMOCs if sufficient data are submitted to substantiate that the new compliance time or alternative method would provide an acceptable level of safety. The commenter did not provide specific data regarding parts availability or maintenance capacity constraints for the FAA to consider. Therefore, the FAA did not change this AD as a result of this comment.

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 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 2025-0079, which specifies procedures for replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing all applicable maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the ALS as defined in EASA AD 2025-0079. Depending on the results of the maintenance tasks, EASA AD 2025-0079 requires accomplishing corrective action(s) or contacting Safran Helicopters for approved instructions and accomplishing those instructions.

Additionally, EASA AD 2025-0079 specifies procedures for accomplishing the actions specified in the applicable ALS, including performing maintenance tasks, replacing life-limited parts, and specifies procedures for revising the AMP by incorporating the limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals described in the specified ALS, as applicable. Revising the AMP constitutes terminating action for the requirement to record accomplishment of the actions of replacing components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the applicable ALS as required by EASA AD 2025-0079 for demonstration of AD compliance on a continued basis.

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.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

EASA AD 2025-0079 applies to Safran Model Arriel 2D, 2E, 2H, 2L2, and 2N engines, whereas this AD applies to Safran Model Arriel 2E engines. The ALS revisions required by this AD do not include Safran Model Arriel 2D engines, and Safran Model Arriel 2H, 2L2, and 2N engines do not have an FAA type certificate.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 136 engines installed on helicopters of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

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

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.

The Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

91 FR 47942