The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 05, 2026, issued the Draft Airworthiness Directive (PAD 26-001) for Civil ALH Dhruv Helicopters.
The following has been stated:
• It seeks to address a safety concern identified in certain civil variants of the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. During maintenance of helicopter VT-BSS, broken pieces of a Tail Drive Shaft (TDS) elastomeric bush were discovered, and further inspection revealed that the TDS bearing attachment bracket at Station 9A had fractured due to the failure of the elastomeric bush.
• To restore airworthiness and maintain flight safety, the draft directive mandates the replacement of outsourced elastomeric bushes with in-house manufactured elastomeric bushes in Tail Drive Shaft segments 3, 3A, and 4. The requirement applies to specified civil ALH Dhruv helicopters, including certain CFW and CS variants listed in the directive.
• Operators are required to carry out the replacement in accordance with HAL Alert Service Bulletin No. 201 610 A512 Revision A dated May 09, 2026, within two weeks of receipt of the Alert Service Bulletin. Following completion, a compliance certificate shall be submitted to the Airworthiness Group of RWR&DC through HAL's Customer Services Department.
[Notification no. - 26-001]
