Small Number Of Package B Engines May Have Similar Issue Identified In Package C Engines

In April this year Rolls-Royce provided an update on the management of a durability issue affecting the Intermediate Pressure Compressor in a population of Trent 1000 engines, known as Package C engines.

Since identifying this issue, Rolls-Royce has undertaken a wide range of engineering analysis and engine tests to further its understanding of the cause. While this work has focused on Package C, the company has also considered whether the same durability issue may occur on other Trent 1000 engine variants.

A similar Intermediate Pressure Compressor durability issue has now been identified on a small number of high life Package B engines and the company says it therefore agreed with the relevant regulatory authorities, with concurrence from Boeing, to carry out a one-off inspection of our Trent 1000 Package B fleet, to further inform our understanding. The Package B standard has been in service since 2012 and consists of 166 engines.

These inspections will be supported by an EASA Airworthiness Directive, and as a result Rolls-Royce anticipates there will be a limited impact on customer operations to enable this program of one-off inspections to take place. Engines will be inspected on-wing using existing techniques.

The company says it is committed to eliminating this Intermediate Pressure Compressor durability issue from the Trent 1000 fleet and we have already successfully run a redesigned Package C IPC in a development engine. As a precautionary measure it has also launched a redesign of the relevant part in the Package B engine as well as in the Trent 1000 TEN engine, where, although currently a young fleet, we have not seen any examples of reduced IPC durability.

"We are working closely with our customers to minimize any operational impact of these inspections and we deeply appreciate their continued cooperation. We remain absolutely committed to eliminating this issue from the Trent 1000 fleet,” said Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, president – Civil Aerospace.

(Source: Rolls-Royce news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com