Older helicopters must now check for incorrectly installed bolts in their flight controls

The US aviation regulator is requiring inspections for specific bolt installations in the flight control systems of several Leonardo S.p.A. helicopter models. This means operators must check for bolts that were put in wrong and fix them if found.

A small error in a critical part of a helicopter's flight control system can have catastrophic consequences. This rule forces operators to proactively find and fix a known manufacturing or maintenance issue before it leads to an accident. It shifts the burden from reactive accident investigation to preventative maintenance.