Old military helicopters must now be checked for cracks in a critical support beam

The US aviation regulator wants to require inspections for fatigue cracks in a specific part of all restricted-category CH-47D helicopters. This means operators will have to regularly check a beam that supports the forward transmission and repair any cracks they find.

These helicopters are often used for firefighting, heavy lifting, and other dangerous jobs. A crack in a critical support beam could lead to a catastrophic failure, putting pilots and people on the ground at risk. This rule ensures these aging aircraft are maintained to prevent accidents.