EASA AD 2019-0261
Engine — Intermediate Pressure Turbine Blades — Replacement
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2019-0261 is an airworthiness directive addressing the replacement of intermediate pressure turbine blades (IPTB) on Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 series engines, commonly installed on Boeing 787 aircraft. The directive applies to multiple Trent 1000 variants and targets IPTB with specific part numbers known to be susceptible to sulphidation corrosion leading to cracking. It mandates removal and replacement of affected IPTB to ensure continued engine safety and reliability.
What Changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2019-0261 supersedes AD 2019-0135 and introduces reduced life limits for the IPTB on pre-modification Trent 1000 engines. It prohibits installation of affected service-used material IPTB and requires replacement of IPTB on engines not in operational use before release to service. The directive also updates compliance times for removal from service based on flight cycle limits.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals to prevent potential engine in-flight shutdowns caused by IPTB shank cracking due to sulphidation corrosion. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to maintain aircraft airworthiness and avoid operational disruptions. Compliance ensures the safety of Boeing 787 aircraft powered by Trent 1000 engines and aligns with regulatory requirements for continued airworthiness.
What To Do
Operators must remove affected Trent 1000 engines from service within specified flight cycle limits and replace the IPTB using Rolls-Royce service bulletins before returning engines to service. For engines not in operational use, IPTB replacement is required before release to service. Installation of affected IPTB is prohibited after replacement or from the effective date of the directive. Compliance deadlines vary from immediate (within 25 flight cycles) to before exceeding specified flight cycle limits.
Your fleet's weekly compliance brief
AI-summarized regulatory changes, compliance deadlines, and action items — filtered to your aircraft, every Monday.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.