EASA AD No : 2009-0243R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 1/4 

 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No.: 2009-0243R1 

Date: 26 November 2009 

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 1702/2003, Part 21A.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 Airworthiness Directive applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that Airworthiness 

Directive 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]. 

Type Approval Holder’s Name : 

ROLLS-ROYCE PLC 

Type/Model designation(s) : 

RB211-524 Series Engines 

RB211-535 Series Engines 

RB211 Trent 700 Series Engines 

RB211 Trent 800 Series Engines 

TCDS Number : EASA.E.042, UK-CAA TCDS Numbers 1046, 1048, 1051, 1044 and 1049 

Foreign AD : None 

Revision : This AD revises AD 2009-0243 dated 10 November 2009 

ATA 72 Engine – Front Combustion Liner Inner Wall – Inspection 

Manufacturer(s): Rolls-Royce plc 

Applicability: 1. RB211-524 Series Engines, models RB211-524G2-T-19, RB211-

524G3-T-19, RB211-524H2-T-19, all serial numbers, if Rolls-Royce 

RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or Rolls-Royce RB211 Service 

Bulletin No. 72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Boeing 747-

400 series aircraft. 

2. RB211-524 Series Engines, models RB211-524H-T-36, all serial 

numbers, if Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or RollsRoyce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Boeing 767 

series aircraft. 

3. RB211-535 Series Engines, models RB211-535E4-37, RB211-535E4-

B-37, RB211-535E4-C-37, all serial numbers, if Rolls-Royce RB211 

Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 

72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Boeing 757 

series aircraft. 
EASA AD No : 2009-0243R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 2/4 

 

4. RB211-535 Series Engines, model RB211-535E4-B-75, all serial 

numbers, if Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or RollsRoyce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Tupolev 

Tu204 series aircraft. 

5. RB211-Trent 700 Series Engines, all models, all serial numbers, if 

Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or Rolls-Royce RB211 

Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Airbus A330 

series aircraft. 

6. RB211-Trent 800 Series Engines, all models, all serial numbers, if 

Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133 or Rolls-Royce RB211 

Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 is incorporated. 

These engines are known to be installed on, but not limited to Boeing 777 

series aircraft. 

Reason: Cracking has been found on the inner wall between intermediate dilution 

chutes on a total of five front combustion liners of the standard 

corresponding to Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133. The 

lives of two of these liners were confirmed to be below the currently valid 

borescope inspection interval. 

Ultimately, crack propagation could result in hot gas breakout with 

potential of downstream component distress and multiple turbine blade 

release beyond containment capabilities of the engine casings. Thus, 

cracking of this nature constitutes a potentially unsafe condition. 

Since Rolls-Royce Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 introduces further 

developments of Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-D133, 

engines incorporating Rolls-Royce RB211 Service Bulletin No. 72-E902 

are also considered to be potentially affected and are therefore included in 

the applicability of this AD. 

This AD requires a change to the initial and repeat borescope inspection 

intervals for the front combustion liner. 

This AD has been revised in order to clarify the required actions for 

combustion liners that have been inspected before the effective date of 

the original issue of this AD and in accordance with earlier revisions of 

Rolls-Royce RB211 Series Propulsion System Series Non-Modification 

Service Bulletin No. RB211-72-AF458. 

Effective Date: Revision 1: 10 December 2009 

Original issue: 24 November 2009 

Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s): 

 A. Definition

In the following LIFE will be referred as the lowest of the following lives: 

- life of the combustion liner since new, 

- life of the combustion liner since inner wall replacement 

- life of the combustion liner since the combustion liner was last 

inspected in accordance with section 3. Accomplishment instructions, 

subsection A. Borescope Inspection of Rolls-Royce RB211 Series 

Propulsion System Series Non-Modification Service Bulletin No. 

RB211-72-AF458 Revision 2 or later approved revision.

B. Action Required

It is required to carry out the borescope inspections as specified in 

section 3. Accomplishment instructions, subsection A. Borescope 
EASA AD No : 2009-0243R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 3/4 

 

Inspection of Rolls-Royce RB211 Series Propulsion System Series NonModification Service Bulletin No. RB211-72-AF458 Revision 4 or later 

approved revision before the limits specified in paragraph C. below. 

C. Inspection Requirements

i) Initial Inspection Requirements

1. If the engine has a combustion liner installed with a LIFE (see A. 

above) that is equal to or greater than the initial inspection threshold 

specified in Table 1 column (b) included in C.iii) below at the effective 

date of the original issue of this AD. 

or 

the engine has a combustion liner installed with a LIFE (see A. above) 

that is not known 

Carry out the action specified in B. above within 250 cycles after the 

effective date of the original issue of this AD. 

2. If the engine has a combustion liner installed with a LIFE (see A. 

above) that is less than the initial inspection threshold specified in Table 

1 column (b) included in C.iii) below at the effective date of the original 

issue of this AD, carry out the action specified in B. above before the 

LIFE (see A. above) has reached the limit specified in Table 1 column 

(c) included in C.iii) below. 

ii) Repeat Inspection Requirements

Following accomplishment of the Initial Inspection Requirement 

identified above, carry out the action specified in B. above at repeat 

intervals not exceeding those specified in Table 1 column (d) included in 

C.iii) below. 

iii) Table 1: Initial Inspection Thresholds and Limits, 

Column (a) Column (b) Column (c) Column (d) 

Engine Model Initial 

Inspection 

Threshold 

Initial 

Inspection 

Limit 

If 

 LIFE < 

Initial 

Inspection 

Threshold 

Repeat 

Inspection 

Interval 

RB211-524G2-T-19, 524G3-

T-19 and 524H2-T-19 as per 

Applicability section 1. 

1150 Cycles 1400 Cycles 1400 Cycles 

RB211-524H-T-36 as per 

Applicability section 2. 

550 Cycles 800 Cycles 800 Cycles 

RB211-535E4-37, E4-B-37 

and E4-C-37 as per 

Applicability section 3. 

550 Cycles 800 cycles 800 cycles 

RB211-535E4-B-75 as per 

Applicability section 4. 

550 Cycles 800 cycles 800 cycles 

RB211-Trent 700 Series 

Engines, all models as per 

1250 Cycles 1500 Cycles 1500 Cycles 
EASA AD No : 2009-0243R1 

EASA Form 110 Page 4/4 

 

Applicability section 5. 

RB211-Trent 800 Series 

Engines, all models as per 

Applicability section 6. 

750 Cycles 1000 Cycles 1000 Cycles 

 

Ref. Publications: Rolls-Royce RB211 Series Propulsion System Series Non-Modification 

Service Bulletin No. RB211-72-AF458 Revision 4.

The use of later approved revisions of this 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. The original issue of this AD was posted on 28 September 2009 as 

PAD 09-114 for consultation until 26 October 2009. The Comment 

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

3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Airworthiness 

Directives, Safety Management & Research Section, Certification 

Directorate, EASA. E-mail ADs@easa.europa.eu. 

4. For any questions concerning the technical content of the 

requirements in this AD, please contact: 

Rolls-Royce plc., P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom 

Telephone: +44 (0) 1332 242424 Fax: +44 (0) 1332 249936 

E-mail: tech.help@rolls-royce.com or download the publication from 

https://www.aeromanager.com