EASA AD No: 2012

- 0220

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 1 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet

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## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No

. : 2012

- 0220

Date: 22 October 201 2

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that Regulation.

This AD is issued in accordance with EC 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordan ce with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may ope rate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency [EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exemption]

. 

### Design Approval Holder’s Name :

ROLLS

- ROYCE plc Type/Model designation(s) :

RB211 Trent 900 engines

TCDS Number : EASA.E.0 12

Foreign AD : Not applicable

Supersedure : None



### ATA 72 Engine

– Low Pressure Turbine Disc Seal Fins and Interstage Seals

– Inspection / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): Rolls

- Royce plc

Applicability: RB211 Trent 970

- 84, 970B

- 84, 972

- 84, 972B

- 84, 977

- 84, 977B

- 84 and 980

- 84 engines, all serial numbers. These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to, Airbus A380 aeroplanes.

Reason: Following a revenue service flight, a Trent 900 engine experienced increased low pressure vibration. The vibration did not exceed any engine limits, and the engine was not shut down during flight. Upon post

- flight inspection of the engine, debris w as found in the exhaust tail pipe and the engine was removed. The results of a s ubsequent strip inspection revealed that the stage 2 Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) disc had suffered material loss from a portion of the Interstage Seal (ISS) area of the disc

, with impac t damage to downstream LPT stages. All debris was contained within the engine casings. Preliminary findings show that the ISS fin had rubbed into the stage 2 vane honeycomb seal, which overheated and cracked, finally resulting in releasing a portion of the ISS area of the disc. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to LPT stage 2 disc crack s , possibly result ing in an uncontained engine failure and subsequent damage to the aeroplane. For the reasons described above, this AD requires on

- wi ng inspection s of LPT disc seal fins and interstage seals , each time it has been determined that the Engine Health Monitoring (EHM) vibratory levels have been exceeded in flight,EASA AD No: 2012

- 0220

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 2 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet

. and in

- shop inspection s of the LPT disc seal fins and interstage seals , to detect crack s or damage and, depending on findings, the accomplishment of applicable corrections action(s)

. This AD is considered an interim measure and further AD action may follow.

Effective Date: 0 5 November 2012

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s): Required as indicated , unless accomplish previously : ( 1) From the effective date of this AD, accomplish the following actions: (1.1) W ithin 10 engine flight cycles ( E FC) following receipt of an Engine Health Monitoring (EHM) notification for N1 vibration levels exceeding the alert limits during flight (see Note 1)

, perform trouble shooting to determine vibration indication fault or high vibration, in accordance with the Airbus A380 Trouble Shooting Manual ( TS M) Task 77

- 00

- 00

- 810

- 803

- A , paragraph 2

- Fault Confirmation

. If it cannot be confirmed that the vibration increase has been caused by an indication fault, inspect the LPT disc seal fins and i nterstage seals in accordance with the instructions of Rolls

- Royce Technical Variance (TV) 125060

, or in accordance with the instructions of the relevant Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) Chapter (see Note 2).

Note 1 : Rolls

- Royce Operational Service Desk ( OSD ) automatically receive s , monitor s and analyse s EHM data

, and will send a notification as s hown in Appendix 1 of this AD.

Note 2 : The instructions contained in TV125060 are expected to be incorporated in an upcoming Revision of the Airbus A380 AMM

. (1.2) For operators who are not using the R olls

- R oyce EHM service

, within 200 EFC a f te r the effective date of this AD and thereafter

, at intervals not to exceed 200 EFC, inspect the LPT disc seal fins and interstage seals in accordance with the instructions of Rolls

Royce TV125060

, or in accordance with the instructions of the relevant AMM Chapter (see Note 2 )

. ( 2 ) From the effective date of this AD, each time the engine is subject to a

“ Engine Check and Repair Shop Visit ” or “ Engine Refurbishment Shop Visit ” in accordance with Trent 900 Generic Engine Management Programme (EMP) paragraph 5.3.1 Engine Rework Definitions

, or if the engine is in such a shop visit on the effective date of this AD, inspect the LPT disc seal fins and interstage seals in accordance with the instructions of Rolls

- Royce Alert Non

- Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) RB.211

- 72

- AH054. If, during this inspection, any crack or material loss from the disc seal fin is found, before releas e to service of the engine , replace the affected parts with serviceable parts. ( 3 ) Inspections and corrective actions, accomplished before the effective date of this AD

, in accordance with the instructions of Rolls

- Royce TV125658 are acceptable for compliance with the initial requirements of paragraph s (1.2) and ( 2 ) of this AD. ( 4 ) If, during any inspection as required by paragraph (1 .1 ) or (1.2) of this AD, as applicable, any crack or material loss from the disc seal fin is found, before next flight, remove the engine from the aeroplane and, before release to service of the engine , replace the affected parts with serviceable parts

. (5) Corrective actions, as required by paragraphs (2) or (4) of this AD, as applicable, do not constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this AD.EASA AD No: 2012

- 0220

TE. CAP.0011 0

- 00 3 © European Aviation Safety Agency. All rights reserved. 3 / 3 Proprietary document. Copies are not controlled. Confirm revision status through the EASA

- Internet/Intranet

. Ref. Publications: Airbus A380 AMM and TSM

. Rolls

- Royce Trent 900 Generic EMP issue 14, dated 14 September 2012.

Rolls

- Royce Alert NMSB RB.211

- 72

- AH054 dated 14 September 2012

. Rolls

- Royce Technical Variance TV125060 issue 1, dated 27 July 2012

. Rolls

- Royce Technical Variance TV125658 issue 2, dated 14 August 2012

. The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks : 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD.

2. This AD was posted on 1 7 September 2012 as PAD 12

- 12 0 for consultation until 01 October 2012

. The Comment Response Document can be found at http://ad.easa.europa.eu

. 3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Safety Information Section, Executive Directorate, EASA. E

- mail ADs@easa.europa.eu

. 4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in this AD, please contact your designated Rolls

- Royce representative, or download the publication from your Aeromanager accou nt at www.aeromanager.com

. If you do not have a designated representative or Aeromanager account, please contact Corporate Communications at Rolls

- Royce plc

, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, The United Kingdom. Telep hone: +44 (0) 1332 242424, or email from http://www.rolls

- royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp identifying the correspondence as being related to Airworthiness Directives

.



### Appendix 1

N otification of N1 Vibration Exceedance sent to the Operator :

Engine: [serial number, position] on aircraft [registration] Symptoms: Change in LP Vibration Diagnosis: High LP Vibration

Please be advised that we have observed an LP vibration increase. The recommended fault isolation process for High LP vibration states:

Please be aware that 1st order LP Vibration levels have exceeded the alert limits. Please contact your local Rolls

- Royce Representative, who in turn will contact the Rolls

- Royce Operational Service Desk, for additional recommendations

. This alert is the subject of an EASA AD , and inspection of the LPT interstage seals may be required.