Ownership guide
Airbus Helicopters AS350B3
291 registered in the US, built from about 2001 to 2026, 7 seats, most with the Safran 2D. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 291
- Built
- 2001 to 2026
- Half built by
- 2021
- Seats
- 7
- Engine type
- Turboshaft
- Most common engine
- Safran 2D
Engines installed
- Safran 2D207 aircraft (71%)
- Turbomeca 2D66 aircraft (23%) · 1 ADs, 1 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
36 current ADs name the AS350B3 airframe, 11 with a repeat action; 17 more were superseded. Its engines carry 1 more. 5 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2026-14-02Requires repetitively cleaning and inspecting the affected LACU for FODIndication/recording system · RotorcraftRepeat actionJul 10, 2026
- 2026-09-15Requires the same actions as AD 2023-01-04, except for the repetitive black paint index marking inspections and prohibits installing certain parts unless certain requirements are metTail rotor head · RotorcraftSupersedes 2023-01-04Repeat actionJun 16, 2026
- 2026-12-03Main rotor gearboxRotorcraftSupersedes 2025-06-04Repeat actionJun 9, 2026
- 2025-10-01Requires repetitively inspecting the cargo swing installation and frame and, depending on the results, performing corrective action, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is...Cabin equipment/furnishings · RotorcraftRepeat actionJun 6, 2025
- 2021-07-15Requires replacing certain part-numbered TR bearings with one part-numbered bearing and repetitively inspecting one part-numbered bearingTail rotor drive shaft · RotorcraftSupersedes 82-20-05Repeat actionApr 2, 2021
- 2021-04-13Requires a one-time inspection to verify the presence and correct installation of the main rotor mast (MRM) upper bearing retaining rings, a repetitive inspection of the sealant bead on the MRM for damage, and...Main rotor mast inner race rings · RotorcraftRepeat actionMar 10, 2021
- 2020-02-23Requires repetitive inspections of the installation of the pull cables on the emergency float kitsEquipment/furnishings, and 32, landing gear · RotorcraftRepeat actionFeb 13, 2020
- 2017-22-05Hydraulic pumpRotorcraftSupersedes 2013-15-03Repeat actionNov 6, 2017
- 2016-25-20Requires inspecting each bi- directional suspension cross-bar (cross-bar)Main rotor drive system · RotorcraftRepeat actionDec 27, 2016
- 2016-05-06Requires the inspection of the area around each reinforcement angle screw hole as terminating action to the 10 hour TIS inspectionsRotorcraft tailboom · RotorcraftSupersedes 2014-07-52Repeat actionMar 4, 2016
- 2014-05-10Tail rotorRotorcraftSupersedes 2012-25-04Repeat actionMar 28, 2014
Accident record
3 accidents since 2022, 0 fatal, 0 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness1
- Dynamic rollover1
- System or component failure (not the engine)1
Phase of flight
- Maneuvering1
- Landing1
- Enroute1
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-01 | Plant city, FL | Maneuvering: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness | None | ERA24LA205 |
| 2023-12-26 | Palmer, AK | Landing: Dynamic rollover | Minor | ANC24LA009 |
| 2022-08-04 | Chino, CA | Enroute: System or component failure (not the engine) | None | WPR22LA291 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (11 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- 5 equipment ADs name the AS350B3 (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
Questions
- How many Airbus Helicopters AS350B3s are registered in the US?
- 291, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 built?
- From about 2001 to 2026. Half of those registered today were built by 2021.
- What engine does the Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 have?
- Most have the Safran 2D (71% of those registered); others have the Turbomeca 2D.
- How many accidents has the Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 had?
- 3 in the NTSB's database since 2022, 0 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of tail rotor effectiveness. These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 have?
- 36 current ADs name the AS350B3 airframe, 11 of them with a repeat action, and 1 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.