Rolls-Royce Engines Get Fuel Hose Crackdown After Shutdown Scare
Published Date: 1/31/2025
Rule
Summary
The FAA is making a new rule for certain Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines after finding damage in the main fuel hose that caused an engine to shut down mid-flight. Engine owners must inspect the fuel hose for cracks, dents, and other problems, and replace it if needed. This rule starts February 18, 2025, and helps keep flights safe without big costs unless repairs are needed.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory fuel-hose inspections and fixes
If you operate Rolls‑Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, you must do a one-time set of visual and dimensional inspections of the main fuel hose assembly to check softness, compliance, resistance, shrinkage, cracks, chafing, dents, kinks, necking, and braid-wire degradation, and replace the hose if needed, per EASA AD 2024-0174-E (dated September 5, 2024). The FAA adopted this AD effective February 18, 2025, to prevent engine fire and in‑flight shutdown.
Mandatory inspection reporting (1 hour burden)
The EASA AD incorporated by reference requires reporting the inspection results to Rolls‑Royce Deutschland; the FAA notes that public reporting for this collection is estimated to take approximately 1 hour per response under OMB Control Number 2120-0056, and that all responses to this collection are mandatory.
No U.S. compliance costs (no U.S. engines)
The FAA states there are no costs of compliance with this AD because there are no engines with this type certificate on the U.S. Registry; therefore, U.S. operators are not expected to incur compliance costs from this AD.
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