EASA AD US-2018-08-03: CANCELLED AND REPLACED BY FAA AD 2018-09-05

What to do

Affected operators must revise the Certificate Limitations chapter of the Boeing 787 AFM within 3 days of the AD effective date by incorporating the specified ETOPS limitations. They should monitor for further FAA rulemaking once the manufacturer develops a permanent engine modification. Comments on the AD are invited by June 1, 2018, but compliance with the manual revision is mandatory by April 17, 2018.

Summary

FAA Airworthiness Directive 2018-08-03 is a final rule addressing Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 Package C turbofan engines. It requires revising the airplane flight manual to limit extended operations (ETOPS) due to a risk of engine failure from prolonged high thrust operation on the remaining engine after an engine failure. This directive aims to prevent unrecoverable thrust loss that could lead to forced landings.

What changed

This new airworthiness directive mandates revising the Certificate Limitations chapter of the Boeing airplane flight manual to impose ETOPS operational limits for affected Trent 1000 engine models. It introduces immediate operational restrictions to mitigate the risk of intermediate pressure compressor blade failure during ETOPS diversions. The AD is an interim measure pending development of a manufacturer modification to fully address the unsafe condition.

Why it matters

This AD is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk involving potential dual engine failure during ETOPS flights, which could result in forced landings. Operators and maintenance teams must ensure compliance to avoid unsafe engine operation conditions and unscheduled removals due to blade fatigue. The directive impacts flight operations, requiring updates to flight manuals and awareness of new ETOPS limitations.

What to do

Summary

What changed

Why it matters

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