FAA Discovers Jet Engine Parts Have Shorter Lifespans Than Expected
Published Date: 1/8/2025
Rule
Summary
The FAA is making new rules for certain General Electric GEnx engines to keep them safe. They found some engine parts might wear out sooner than expected, so they’re requiring one-time inspections and possible replacements by February 12, 2025. Airlines with these engines should get ready to check and fix parts, which might cost some time and money but keeps flights safe and sound.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory one-time spool inspections
If your airplane has one of the listed GE GEnx-1B or GEnx-2B engines with an affected stages 6-10 compressor rotor spool, you must do a one-time inspection for previous blend repairs and inspect any repairs for compliance with updated allowable limits. If a blend repair is out of limits, the spool must be removed and replaced before further flight. The AD is effective February 12, 2025 and applies to the engine models and part/serial numbers listed in the incorporated GE service bulletins.
Estimated inspection and replacement costs
The FAA estimates this AD affects 6 engines on U.S. registry. Estimated inspection costs are 8 work-hours ($680) to inspect the stages 6-10 spool and 1 work-hour ($85) to inspect previous blend repairs per product; for U.S. operators those inspection costs are listed as $4,080 and $510 respectively. If a replacement is needed, the agency estimates parts cost $1,307,600 plus 8 work-hours ($680), for a total on-condition cost per replacement of $1,308,280.
Compliance timing and deadline rule
The AD requires the inspections to be done at the next piece-part exposure after the AD effective date or before the affected spool reaches the cyclic removal threshold listed in the GE service bulletin, whichever occurs first. The AD became effective February 12, 2025. Operators may take credit if they performed the same actions before the effective date using the earlier GE service bulletin revisions dated October 4, 2023.
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