Helicopter operators must now check for corrosion in flight controls, or replace them

US aviation regulators are proposing new rules for certain Columbia Helicopters and military-grade CH-47D helicopters. Operators will have to regularly inspect flight control parts for corrosion and fix or replace them if found.

Corrosion in flight controls can lead to catastrophic failures. These rules mean that operators of these specific helicopter models can no longer ignore a known safety risk. This shifts the burden of detection and repair directly onto the operators, rather than waiting for accidents to reveal the problem.