Airbus helicopters must get their tail rotors inspected, or they can't fly

The US aviation regulator proposes a new rule for certain Airbus helicopters. Owners must inspect a specific part of the tail rotor and fix it if needed, or the helicopter cannot fly.

A specific part of the tail rotor on these helicopters has failed, causing heavy damage. This rule means operators must proactively check for this problem, rather than waiting for a failure. It shifts the burden of identifying this risk from accident investigation to routine maintenance.