Week to Wednesday, 16 September 2026
FAA finalises Pilatus PC-24 windshield heating retrofit, effective 20 October
The FAA has adopted its proposed Pilatus PC-24 windshield heating directive. Airworthiness directive 2026-17-11 takes effect on 20 October 2026. It requires operators to modify the aeroplane and replace the left-hand windshield heating solid-state relay with a serviceable part. The agency received no comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking published on 13 May 2026, and adopted the rule as proposed apart from minor editorial changes.
The unsafe condition sits in the low-power windshield de-fog circuit. The affected relay allows current to flow in reverse while switched off. During a dual generator failure, the batteries power the windshield heating and electrical power distribution units 1 and 3 through that relay. A reversal of current flow could disable the emergency windshield heat function when a crew calls for it. The FAA says the left side window may then not be fully de-fogged, and ice may not clear from either windshield.
The directive reaches 168 aeroplanes on the United States register. The FAA splits them into two groups. 125 aircraft need the relay and its cables replaced, at five work-hours and $1,032 in parts, or $1,457 each. The other 43 need the relay alone, at 2.5 work-hours and $32 in parts, or $244.50 each. That puts $182,125 on the first group and $10,513.50 on the second. The FAA notes that the manufacturer expects some of the cost to fall under warranty.
The rule adopts EASA airworthiness directive 2026-0008, dated 15 January 2026, by reference, and takes its compliance times from it. Where the EASA directive refers to its own effective date, the FAA rule substitutes 20 October 2026. The FAA does not adopt the remarks section, and drops the reporting step the referenced material specifies. The record sits under docket FAA-2026-4632.
The unsafe condition is filed under joint aircraft system component code 3040, windshield and door rain and ice removal. Alternative methods of compliance run through the FAA International Validation Branch under 14 CFR 39.19. Requests go to a principal inspector or the local Flight Standards District Office.
Source: Federal Register; US Government Publishing Office, 15 September 2026.
Also this week
FAA widens MD Helicopters torque tube inspection to 680 aircraft
Airworthiness directive 2026-19-01 supersedes AD 2024-23-06 on 20 October 2026. It applies to all MD Helicopters Model 369, 500N and 600N helicopters, certificated in any category. The FAA determined that the risk of torque tube assembly failure extends to further assemblies than the 2024 rule covered. Its estimate of affected United States helicopters rose from 353 in the proposal to 680 in the final rule. Operators must inspect the torque tube and roller bearings for corrosion and cracks within 100 hours time in service or 12 months, whichever occurs first, then every 100 hours. The visual inspection is priced at one work-hour, or $85 per helicopter per cycle.
Source: Federal Register; US Government Publishing Office, 15 September 2026.
Honda Aircraft completes first Echelon wing, moves first flight to 2028
Honda Aircraft has completed the first wing structure for the HondaJet Echelon. The company now targets first flight in 2028, with type certification and first delivery in 2031. It attributes the revised schedule to tier-one supplier adjustments and continuing development work. Five wing structures are in various stages of final assembly, and mainline final assembly is due to begin in early 2027. More than 70 per cent of the parts needed for first assembly are on hand, across more than 88,400 sq ft of provisioned manufacturing space. Honda Aircraft reports more than 530 signed letters of intent for the light jet.
Source: Honda Aircraft Company, 15 September 2026.
EASA proposes main landing gear inspection across Daher TBM 700 fleet
EASA has proposed a main landing gear directive for the Daher TBM 700. Proposed airworthiness directive 26-106 was issued on 15 September 2026 and covers the main landing gear barrel. It would require inspection under Daher service bulletin 70-366-32, original issue dated August 2026, with later approved revisions acceptable for compliance. The proposal supersedes nothing and is filed under ATA chapter 32. Consultation closes on 13 October 2026, after which EASA may issue the directive in final form. The TBM 700 type certificate covers the single-engine turboprop family Daher still builds.
Source: EASA Airworthiness Directives, 15 September 2026.
Mint Turbines gains Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 overhaul authorisation
Pratt & Whitney Canada has named Mint Turbines a designated overhaul facility. The authorisation covers the PT6A and PT6T engine lines, which power business turboprops, utility helicopters and air ambulances. Mint Turbines operates from Stroud, Oklahoma, and has traded for more than 45 years. The shop already holds approvals from General Electric and Ozark Aeroworks, and from Rolls-Royce through sister company Airborne Engines in Canada. The designation admits it to the engine maker's network of authorised service providers, against standards for quality systems, technical capability and regulatory compliance.
Source: Mint Turbines, 15 September 2026.
House committee passes FAA certification reform bill backed by GAMA
The US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has passed an FAA certification bill. The Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act, House bill 7553, cleared the committee on 15 September 2026. It would require the FAA to publish expected time ranges for certification activities, make the issue paper process more efficient for applicants and the agency, and increase transparency in the rules governing delegation. The Senate Commerce Committee favourably reported its own version earlier in 2026. James Viola, GAMA president and chief executive, said the measure offers refinements that can bring new products into the global marketplace more effectively. The bill now goes to the House floor.
Source: General Aviation Manufacturers Association, 15 September 2026.
