1/4 

EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 

AD No : 2007-0255 

Date: 14 September 2007

No person may operate an aircraft to which an Airworthiness Directive applies, except in accordance with the 

requirements of that Airworthiness Directive unless otherwise agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry.

Type Approval Holder’s Name : 

Rolls-Royce plc 

Type/Model designation(s) : 

RB211 TRENT 768-60, 772-60, 772B-60 engines 

TCDS Number: EASA E.042 

Foreign AD: Not applicable 

Supersedure: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) supersedes EASA AD 2005-0024 dated 14 October 2005. 

ATA 72 Engine – IP Turbine Bearing Oil Vent & Scavenge Tube – Inspection / 

Modification 

Manufacturer(s): Rolls-Royce plc 

Applicability: RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 engines, except when previously 

modified in accordance with Rolls-Royce SB 72-E708, SB72-F227 or SB 72-E965 

at original issue or later revision. 

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

aircraft. 

Reason: In 2004, two Trent 700 engines were removed due to high oil consumption. 

Investigation has established that the HP/IP turbine bearing oil tubes had been 

fretted by the tubes’ damaged heat shields. On both occasions, the outer heat 

shield had fretted though the tube wall, in one case affecting the feed tube and the 

other on the scavenge tube. A previous service incident has shown that ingestion 

of HP3 cooling air into a breached scavenge- or vent tube can cause overpressurisation of the HP/IP bearing chamber. This would cause oil ejection from 

the rear of the chamber. The possible ignition of this oil could result in an IPT 

shaft failure, leading to IPT disc overspeed and resultant release of hazardous 

high energy debris. For the reasons described above, CAA United Kingdom 

issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) G-2005-0016, requiring the inspection of the 

vent- and scavenge tubes and heatshields for damage. That AD was revised and 

subsequently superseded by EASA AD 2005-0024, retaining the requirements 

thereof and requiring the modification of the tubes to delete or upgrade the outer 

heatshield. The present AD supersedes EASA AD 2005-0024, retaining the 

requirements thereof and adding an inspection of the vent pipe restrictor, to 
2/4 

ensure that blockage of the restrictor, due to carbon deposits loosened by the 

heatshield inspection, does not occur. 

Note: EASA AD 2007-0202 has been issued to require vent pipe restrictor 

inspections on engines previously subjected to vent- and scavenge tubes and 

heatshield inspections. 

This new AD also references the recently published Rolls-Royce Service Bulletin 

(SB) 72-F227 and SB 72-E965 as optional terminating actions for the inspection 

requirements of this directive. Some minor editorial changes are introduced, 

including revised terminology used in the Compliance section. 

Effective Date: 28 September 2007 

Compliance: (1) Inspection - On wing 

Inspect and assess the condition of the HP/IP turbine support assembly internal 

oil vent and scavenge tubes and heatshields in accordance with Rolls-Royce 

Alert Non Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-AE792 revision 3 (or later 

approved issue) section 3 Accomplishment Instructions Part A as follows: 

a) For HP/IP turbine support assembly internal oil vent and scavenge 

tubes/heatshields which have not been previously inspected in accordance 

with this AD (see Note 2 below): 

i) Inspect at an 05 module threshold life of 10 000 hours or 2 500 cycles 

(whichever occurs first) since new or since overhaul: 

(a) For 05 modules that exceed the threshold life on the effective date of 

this AD, carry out the inspection within 1 month after the effective 

date of this AD. 

Note 1: All engines should have previously met this requirement in compliance 

with the superseded ADs. 

(b) For 05 modules that are below the threshold life on the effective date 

of this AD, carry out the inspection within 3 months of reaching the 

threshold life. 

ii) Determine the serviceability and establish interval to next inspection as 

follows: 

(a) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with no visible 

damage must be re-inspected at a ‘never exceed’ interval of 10 000 

hours or 2 500 cycles, which ever occurs first. 

(b) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with partial 

cracking up to 90 degrees around the circumference or 10 mm along 

the length of either outer heat shield must be re-inspected at a 

‘never exceed’ interval of 6 400 hours or 1 600 cycles, which ever 

occurs first. 

(c) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with cracking 

in excess of that in 1(ii)(b) but less than 360 degrees around the 

circumference of either outer heat shield must be re-inspected at a 

‘never exceed’ interval of 1 600 hours or 400 cycles whichever 

occurs first. 

(d) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with cracking 

around the complete circumference of either outer heat shield, or if 

there is any missing material from either outer heat shield, re-inspect 

or reject in accordance with the following; 
3/4 

(i) If the insulation blanket is in place inside the heat shield and 

preventing frettage between the heat shield and the tube, reinspect at a ‘never exceed’ interval of 1 600 hours or 400 cycles, 

which ever occurs first. 

(ii) If either vent or scavenge tube is fretted at the outer heatshield 

position where the maximum depth of frettage at any point 

around the full 360 degrees of each tube is less than 

0,46mm/0.018 inch, re-inspect at a ‘never exceed’ interval of 

400 hours or 100 cycles, which ever occurs first. 

(iii) If it is not possible to determine the maximum depth of frettage 

around the full 360 degrees of each tube and (i) (above) is not 

applicable, then the HP/IP turbine support assembly must be 

rejected from service within 50 cycles of the inspection being 

carried out. 

(iv) If either vent or scavenge tube is fretted at the outer heatshield 

position and the maximum depth of frettage is greater than 

0,46mm/0.018 inch, then the HP/IP turbine support assembly 

must be rejected from service within 10 cycles of the inspection 

being carried out. 

b) For HP/IP turbine support assemblies which have been previously inspected 

in accordance with this AD (see Note 2 below): 

i) Inspect the internal oil vent and scavenge tubes and heatshields before 

reaching the ‘never exceed’ period as previously established (in 1 a) ii) 

or 2 a) i)). 

ii) Determine the serviceability and ‘never exceed’ period to the next 

inspection as detailed in 1 a) ii) above. 

c) After a high power ground run or not later than 25 service cycles after 

heatshield inspection, inspect the Vent Flow Restrictor in accordance with 

Section 3 Accomplishment Instructions of Rolls-Royce Alert Non Modification 

Service Bulletin RB211-72-AE792 Revision 3 (or later approved revision). 

Note 2: For the purposes of compliance with this AD, HP/IP turbine support 

assembly internal oil vent and scavenge tube/heatshield inspection carried out 

previously in accordance with the superseded ADs is deemed to be valid. 

(2) Inspection- In shop 

a) For 05 modules in-shop which are not undergoing strip and overhaul. 

Inspect and assess the condition of the HP/IP turbine support assembly 

internal oil vent and scavenge tubes and heatshields in accordance with 

Rolls-Royce Alert Non Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-AE792 

revision 3 (or later approved issue) section 3 Accomplishment Instructions 

Part B as follows: 

i) Determine the serviceability and establish interval to next inspection of 

the HP/IP turbine support assembly internal oil vent and scavenge tubes 

and heatshields as follows: 

(a) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with no visible 

damage to the outer heat shields must be re-inspected at a ‘never 

exceed’ interval of 10 000 hours or 2 500 cycles, whichever occurs 

first. 

(b) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with visible 

cracking up to 90 degrees around the circumference or 10 mm along 

the length of either outer heat shield must be re-inspected at a 

‘never exceed’ interval of 6 400 hours or 1 600 cycles, whichever 
4/4 

occurs first. 

(c) Outer heat shields of the vent and/or scavenge tubes with visible 

cracking greater than 90 degrees of the circumference or 10 mm in 

length of either heat shield must be rejected and the Terminating 

Action as detailed in 3) below should be carried out. 

b) For 05 modules in-shop which are undergoing strip and overhaul carry out 

the Terminating Action as detailed in 3) below. 

c) Inspect the Vent Flow Restrictor (after pass-off test) in accordance with 

Section 3 Accomplishment Instructions of Rolls-Royce Alert Non Modification 

Service Bulletin RB211-72-AE792 Revision 3 (or later approved revision). 

(3) Terminating Action

At the next 05 module overhaul, but not later than 31 May 2010, whichever 

occurs first, introduce revised HP/IP turbine bearing support structure in 

accordance with either: 

a) RR Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-E708 revision 2 (or later 

approved issue) or; 

b) RR Immediate Operational Request RB211-72-E965 revision 1 (or later 

approved issue) or; 

c) RR Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-F227 original (or later approved 

issue). 

Note 3: 

1) The hours and cycles quoted in paragraph 1(a) and 2(a) of this AD refer to those 

hours and cycles accumulated on the 05 module. 

2) For the purposes of this AD, the references to “05 module strip and overhaul” 

quoted in paragraph (2) of this directive refers to an 05 module shop visit where 

the HP/IP turbine internal vent and scavenge tubes have been exposed and the 

tube heat shields subjected to a detailed visual inspection in accordance with the 

Trent 700 Engine Manual task 72-51-24-200-801. 

Ref. Publications: RR Non-Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-AE792 Revision 3; 

RR Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-E708 revision 2; 

RR Immediate Operational Request RB211-72-E965 revision 1; 

RR Modification Service Bulletin RB211-72-F227; 

or later approved revisions of these documents. 

Remarks : 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can accept Alternative 

Methods of Compliance for this AD. 

2. This AD was posted on 13 August 2007 as PAD 07-140 for consultation until 

10 September 2007. No comments were received during the consultation 

period. 

3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the AD Focal Point - 

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

4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in this 

AD, please contact: 

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

Kingdom; Telephone: +44 (0) 1332 242424, Fax: +44 (0) 1332 249936.