GENERAL ELECTRIC IS replacing the GE90 engines on the first Boeing 777 delivered to British Airways to improve the oil-consumption performance.
The first engine change was performed at London Heathrow on 7 January, on one of the three 777s delivered to the airline to date, and is expected to be followed by a second change on 30 January. The higher-than-expected oil consumption was first detected during 3,000-cycle ground tests, says GE.
The new engines are fitted with modified leaf seals in the high-pressure compressor. These labyrinth seals are located around the guide vanes between the disc and the stator and are expected to bring oil-consumption levels back into line with earlier performance guidelines. The manufacturer says that the engine change will cause "no service disruption".
Source: Flight International
