FAA orders A380 engine seal replacements after aborted takeoff

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered operators to replace high-pressure turbine interstage seals on certain Engine Alliance GP7200-series engines fitted to the Airbus A380, after an uncontained failure forced an aircraft to abort its takeoff. According to Simple Flying, the directive was issued on 8 October and takes effect on 23 October.

What the directive requires

Simple Flying reports that the airworthiness directive covers GP7270, GP7272 and GP7277 engines. The FAA has mandated removal of the 15 seals with the highest total flight cycles. The most urgent replacements must be carried out within 50 flight cycles or 30 days.

The cost is estimated at up to $528,150 per affected engine, a figure Simple Flying attributes to AeroTime. It also cites a slightly lower figure of $527,300 including parts. Operators must fit eligible parts under the Engine Alliance service bulletin.

The incident and likely cause

The FAA report describes an A380 with GP7270 engines that suffered an uncontained failure of the interstage seal, shutting down its engines and aborting takeoff. An uncontained failure occurs when debris escapes the engine casing and can damage other parts of the aircraft. According to Simple Flying, the directive does not name the airline, the aircraft registration or the date of the incident.

The manufacturer's investigation found that cracking may have developed where the seal locates against the shaft from the first-stage turbine disk. Relative rotation of the seal, known as clocking, was identified as a contributing factor. The root cause is still under investigation, but movement of the seals appears more possible in engines reassembled during overhaul. The FAA warned that another failure could cause an engine fire and damage to the aircraft.

The rule was adopted without public consultation because of the safety risk and short compliance deadline. It is an interim measure, and further rulemaking could follow once the cause is established.

Which airlines fly the A380

Simple Flying lists 11 current A380 operators: All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Global Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. The source does not say which of them use the affected engines, since the A380 can also be fitted with other engine types. It notes that no US-registered aircraft are affected, as no US airline flies the type.

What this means for travellers

• The FAA has not said how many aircraft are affected, so the effect on A380 schedules is not yet clear.
• The most urgent replacements fall within 30 days or 50 flight cycles, so any swaps to other aircraft types would most likely appear in the near term.
• Travellers booked on an A380 should check their airline's flight status and booking page, as airlines may change aircraft at short notice.
• The directive concerns the seals with the most flight cycles, not the whole fleet, which suggests a limited number of engines are involved in the first instance.

Whether any airline will cancel or retime flights has not been reported.

Sources: Simple Flying.