Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Engines
Key claim: The FAA is requiring operators of certain Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines to replace a batch of low-pressure compressor blades that were improperly repaired and are more likely to crack.
Abstract
(Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 engines. This AD was prompted by a report that a batch of low-pressure compressor (LPC) blades were exposed to a non- conforming repair and are more prone to cracking due to a deviation from the approved blade configuration design. This AD requires removal from service of the affected LPC blades and replacement with a serviceable part. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Trent 700 engines power widely operated Airbus A330 aircraft, so a batch of improperly repaired compressor blades represents a concrete fleet-wide safety issue the FAA addresses through its airworthiness directive process. The final rule continues a pattern of recent Rolls-Royce Trent-series ADs tracked in this area.