Contact Approach, I am not sure you can attach any blame to Boeing in this instance. This is clearly an engine problem. The Trent 1000 has proved very reliable in service. To find 2 engines on the same aircraft with the same damage one of which failed in flight must be worrying. Either there is an inherent fault or there is an issue with maintenance procedures in a specific organisation. These will not be the highest time Trents either, ANA has been operating the B787 for longer with the same engines.
Has there been a worldwide AD or SB to reinspect all of these engines? Was damage found in the IPT?
In 2013 EASA issued an airworthiness directive after rear seal fins were found missing on some intermediate-pressure turbine (IPT) blades during on-wing inspections and overhaul.
The agency says that “release of an IPT blade rear seal fin may result in downstream, secondary damage, potentially accompanied with engine power loss.” The AD becomes effective on May 2.
EASA orders on-wing borescope inspections—after the first 450 cycles at the latest—that will have to be repeated every 200 cycles. The borescope inspection is also to be performed during engine shop visits. If two or more rear seal fins are found broken or missing, or damage on the rear of a blade or the front of a Stage 1 low-pressure turbine blade has been found and the damage is outside defined limits, the engine has to be removed. This type of blade can still be installed in engines if they are checked as defined by the AD.
I am guessing that for the average operator this would need to be done every 80-100 days = 200 cycles?
I believe the later engines are modified.
Last edited by Major Cleve Saville; 30th Oct 2015 at 11:55.