Older Airbus helicopters must get their rotor blades inspected for hidden damage

The US aviation regulator wants all Airbus SA341G and SA342J helicopters to undergo regular inspections of their main rotor blades. This is because some blades have shown signs of the stainless steel leading edge coming apart from the main blade.

This proposed rule means helicopter operators will have to add a new, repetitive maintenance check to their schedules. If damage is found, they will need to repair or replace the blades, which adds to operational costs. The goal is to prevent a blade failure during flight, which would be catastrophic.