Airbus H160-B helicopters must now be inspected for cracks in their main gearbox supports

The US aviation regulator now requires repetitive inspections for cracks in the main gearbox supports of all Airbus H160-B helicopters. This means operators must check these parts regularly and fix them if cracks are found, or replace certain assemblies entirely.

This rule directly addresses a known safety issue with a specific helicopter model. It shifts the burden of identifying and fixing this problem from a potential accident investigation to mandatory, preventative maintenance. This kind of directive is how aviation regulators ensure that known design flaws are systematically addressed across an entire fleet, preventing future failures.