Ian Sheppard/LONDON
An International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-powered Airbus A321-200 operated by British Midland (BM) suffered an in-flight engine failure on 15 May shortly after departure from Heathrow Airport.
The 147kN (33,000lb)-thrust V2533-A5 powered aircraft had been in service only 20 days and had flown around 150h with the UK airline.
According to airline sources, engine gas temperature went "sky high" and the level of vibration prompted the crew to shut down the engine immediately and return to Heathrow. The engine was found to have considerable damage in the high-pressure compressor (HPC) "around stages 5 and 6" and was transported to Rolls-Royce's East Kilbride plant in Scotland for closer examination. It is unclear whether the engine encountered mechanical problems or suffered foreign object damage.
The aircraft was in operation on 17 May after the installation of a replacement engine.
BM Engineering managing director Frank Turner met IAE president Barry Eccleston on 20 May to discuss the problems it has been experiencing with its V2533-A5s, which sources say are not just limited to the recent incident. Both parties decline to comment on the outcome of the meeting.
Meanwhile, TransAsia Airways has found cracking in the sixth-stage HPC blades of its -A5 engines which power the Taiwanese carrier's six A320s and two A321s. Engineering manager Yun-Ti Chiu says the carrier requested two spare engines, but was told by IAE there were none available. Chiu says the problem occurs "below 10,000 cycles" and affects the -A5 and the Boeing MD-90's -D5 engine. The problems have required costly extra off-wing inspections, says Chiu.
IAE declines to give details of any action it is taking.
Source: Flight International
