EASA AD No.: 2013-0155

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EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2013-0155

Date: 18 July 2013

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):

RB211-535 and Trent 700 engines

TCDS Numbers: United Kingdom No. 1044 and EASA.E.042

Foreign AD: Not applicable

Supersedure: None

ATA 72 Engine – High Pressure / Intermediate Pressure Turbine Discs –

Identification / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): Rolls-Royce plc

Applicability: RB211-535E4-37, E4-B-37 and E4-C-37 engines, all serial numbers. These 

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

aeroplanes.

RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, 772B-60 and 772C-60 engines, all serial 

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

Airbus A330 series aeroplanes.

Reason: During a recent inspection of a high pressure (HP) turbine disc forged by a 

specific supplier, the disc was found to be contaminated with a steel inclusion, 

due to an inadequate cleaning procedure in the operation of the melt furnace, 

following a steel melt. Analysis of melt and inspection data concluded that all 

discs manufactured from the batch of material in which this steel inclusion was 

found, had a significant risk of containing steel inclusions. Rolls-Royce has 

carried out an analysis of the effect of the steel inclusions on the Declared Safe 

Cyclic Lives (DSCL) of the affected HP and intermediate pressure (IP) turbine 

discs. This analysis concluded that the currently published DSCL cannot be 

supported for several discs containing the subject inclusions.

This condition, if not corrected, could lead to an uncontained HP or IP turbine 

disc failure, possibly resulting in damage to, and reduced control of, the 

aeroplane.

For the reasons described above, this AD requires removal from service of 

certain HP and IP turbine discs before their accumulated cyclic lives have 

reached the revised limits.

Effective Date: 01 August 2013
EASA AD No.: 2013-0155

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Required Action(s) 

and Compliance 

Time(s):

Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:

(1) Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, determine whether a HP 

or IP turbine disc, as identified by Part Number (P/N) and serial number 

(s/n) in Appendix 1 of this AD, is installed on the engine and, if so, 

determine the accumulated flight cycles (FC) since new for each affected 

HP or IP turbine disc as applicable.

(2) If, as a result of the determination as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, 

the accumulated cyclic life since new of an affected HP or IP turbine disc is 

equal to or exceeds the applicable reduced cyclic life limit as specified in 

Appendix 1 of this AD, before next flight, replace the affected HP or IP 

turbine disc with a serviceable part in accordance with the instructions of 

Rolls-Royce Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) RB.211-72-AH215 

or NMSB RB.211-72-AH152 Revision 1, as applicable.

(3) If, as a result of the determination as required by paragraph (1) of this AD, 

the accumulated cyclic life since new of an affected HP or IP turbine disc is 

less than the applicable reduced cyclic life limit as specified in Table 1 of 

this AD, before exceeding the applicable reduced cyclic life limit as 

specified in Appendix 1 of this AD, replace the affected HP or IP turbine 

disc with a serviceable disc in accordance with the instructions of RollsRoyce NMSB RB.211-72-AH215 or NMSB RB.211-72-AH152 Revision 1,

as applicable.

(4) From the effective date of this AD, do not install a HP or IP turbine disc 

having a P/N and s/n as listed in Appendix 1 of this AD, unless it has been 

determined that the total accumulated cyclic life since new of the 

component is less than the applicable reduced cyclic life limit as specified

in Appendix 1 of this AD.

Ref. Publications: Rolls-Royce NMSB RB.211-72-AH215 original issue, dated 6 December 2012. 

Rolls-Royce NMSB RB.211-72-AH152 original issue, dated 28 February 2013, 

or Revision 1 dated 3 July 2013.

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 23 March 2013 as PAD 13-050 for consultation until 

19 April 2013. 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, or

contact Rolls-Royce plc. Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, 

DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom, telephone: +44 (0) 1332 242424, or

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

identifying the correspondence as being related to Airworthiness 

Directives.
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Appendix 1: Reduced cyclic lives for HP / IP Turbine Discs 

Engine P/N s/n Reduced Cyclic Life Limit

RB211-535

UL39767 LDRCZ19900

UL39767 LDRCZ19903 11 400 FC

UL39767 LDRCZ19904

Trent 700

FK26893 LDRCZ19901

8 687 FC

(see Note)

FK26893 LDRCZ20081

FK26893 LDRCZ20082

FK26893 LDRCZ20084

FK26893 LDRCZ20088

FK26893 LDRCZ20089

FK26893 LDRCZ20090

FK26893 LDRCZ20093

FK26893 LDRCZ20094

FK26893 LDRCZ20097

FK26893 LDRCZ20099

FK26893 LDRCZ20100

FK20795 or

FW53118

LDREB12176

9 270 FC

(see Note)

FK20795 or

FW53118

LDREB12177

FK20795 or

FW53118

LDREB12178

FK20795 or

FW53118

LDREB12179

FK20795 or

FW53118

LDREB12180

Note: If maximum approved cyclic life of an affected HP or IP turbine disc, as 

specified in the latest issue of the applicable Time Limits Manual (TLM), is lower 

than the applicable cyclic life limit specified in Appendix 1 of this AD, the disc must 

be removed before exceeding the applicable TLM limit.