EASA AD No: 2012-0260

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2012-0260

Date: 11 December 2012

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 EU 748/2012, Part 21.A.3B. In accordance 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 operate 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.012

Foreign AD : Not applicable

Supersedure: None

ATA 79

Engine Oil System – Fuel-to-Oil Heat Exchanger – Replacement

[Time Between Overhaul]

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: During a revenue service flight, a Trent 900 engine experienced increased N2

intermediate pressure (IP) vibrations, followed by an engine surge. The pilot 

shut down the engine, the aeroplane carried out an air turn-back, and a 3-

engine landing was successfully performed. Subsequent investigation results 

revealed the presence of oil by-pass seal material from the Fuel-to-Oil Heat 

Exchanger (FOHE) in the restrictor hole of the Tail Bearing Housing (TBH)

cover plate. The blocked restrictor hole caused oil starvation to the low 

pressure (LP) and IP location bearings.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to LP location bearing 

damage, possibly resulting in uncontained engine failure and consequent

damage to the aeroplane.

For the reasons described above, this AD requires implementation of a time 

between overhaul (TBO), i.e. repetitive replacement of the affected FOHE with 

a new or overhauled FOHE unit.

Effective Date: 25 December 2012
EASA AD No: 2012-0260

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Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) Within the compliance time as indicated in Table 1 of this AD, as 

applicable, and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 5 000 engine hours 

(EH), replace the FOHE with a new or overhauled unit in accordance 

with the instructions of Rolls-Royce Non-Modification Service Bulletin 

(NMSB) RB.211-79-AH031.

Table 1 – Initial FOHE Replacement

Engine condition, 

on the effective 

date of this AD:

Compliance Time:

On-wing Before exceeding 5 000 EH time since new 

(TSN) or time since overhaul (TSO), or within 

500 EH after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever occurs later

In-shop Before release to service of the engine, if the 

FOHE has reached or exceeded 5 000 EH 

TSN or TSO

(2) From the effective date of this AD, do not install a FOHE on an engine, 

or an engine on an aeroplane, unless the FOHE has accumulated less 

than 5 000 EH TSN or TSO.

Ref. Publications: Rolls-Royce Alert NMSB RB.211-79-AH031 dated 25 October 2012.

The use of later approved revisions of this document 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 07 November 2012 as PAD 12-140 for 

consultation until 05 December 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 account 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.

Telephone: +44 (0) 1332 242424, or

send an e-mail from http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp

identifying the correspondence as being related to Airworthiness 

Directives.