Operators of Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 787s are being warned that measures to fix the persistent blade problems of the Trent 1000 engine are likely to take longer than previously estimated.
Rolls-Royce’s decision to accelerate blade replacement for Package B and C engines – those yet to receive the final blade standard – has resulted in additional powerplant removals from 787 airframes.
In August it put the number of Package B and C aircraft on the ground, awaiting fixes, at fewer than 25.
But it has also been facing additional maintenance pressure from blade-deterioration issues on the newest engine model, the Trent 1000 TEN.
Rolls-Royce says the consequent filling of maintenance capacity, is slowing the rate at which the number of dormant aircraft is declining.
It expects this figure will not reach single digits until the second quarter of 2020, even though it has been working to increase capacity to deal with the engines.
“We deeply regret the additional disruption that this will cause our customers,” it says. “We continue to work closely with them to minimize the impact on their operations.”
Rolls-Royce says its guidance on cash costs for the Package B and C issues for 2019 and 2020 remains unchanged from that in its half-year results from August.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
