The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive for certain Leonardo helicopter models, specifically AB139 and AW139. This directive mandates the removal of specific engine mounting rods that do not conform to standards and prohibits their installation on any helicopter, as these rods could potentially fail and cause loss of control of the aircraft. The directive is effective from April 1, 2021, and operators are expected to ensure compliance by replacing the non-conforming rods with approved ones. This action was initiated due to a report of non-conforming parts and aims to enhance the safety of these helicopters.
Simple Explanation
The FAA told certain helicopter owners that they must swap out some broken parts that hold the engine because using them could lead to bad crashes, and they can't use those parts again.