Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-13917 · Rolls-Royce plc RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines
Rolls-Royce plc RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines
Superseded. A later AD replaced this one: AD 2011-18-21. Comply with the one in force.
This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc (RR) engine models RB211-524B-02, -524B2, -524B3, -524B4, -524C2, and -524D4 series engines incorporating RR Service Bulletin (SB) No. RB.211-72-7221 or RR SB No. RB.211-72-7998 with front combustion liner assembly, part number (P/N) UL16885, UL29916, UL27107, UL28972, or UL28974 installed but not incorporating RR SB No. RB.211-72-9670 or RR SB No. RB.211-72-9764, and engine models RB211-524G and -524H series engines with front combustion liner assembly P/N UL27659, UL23992, or UL22988 but not incorporating RR SB No. RB.211-72-9764. These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Boeing 747 and Lockheed L1011 series airplanes.
The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive borescope insepctions of the head section and meterpanel assembly of the combustion liner, and replacement, if necessary, with serviceable parts. In addition, that AD allows an optional installation of a front combustion liner with a strengthened head section as a terminating action to the inspection requirements. This AD requires initial and repetitive borescope inspections of the head section and meterpanel assembly of the combustion liner, and replacement if necessary with serviceable parts. This AD also requires reduction of the inspection intervals of certain RB211-524 engine models that have not been repaired to RR Field Repair Scheme FRS5367/B, and a mandatory terminating action to be completed by a certain date. This AD results from five events that are directly attributed to combustor head breakup and meterpanel failure which were found at overhaul inspection. At least one of these events resulted in a combustion case burn-through. We are issuing this AD to prevent engine combustion liner deterioration, which can result in combustion liner breakup, case burn-through, and engine fire.
You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the actions have already been done. Engine inspections previously made to RR Service Bulletin No. RB.211-72-B482, Revision 8, can be credited for counting cycles since last inspection.
Borescope-inspect combustion liner head sections that have not been previously repaired. Use paragraphs 3.A.(1) through 3.A.(5) of the Accomplishment Instructions of RR Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revision 9, dated July 28, 2003, and the compliance thresholds in Table 1 of this AD.
| Engine series | Initial inspection (cycles since-new (CSN)) | Repetitive inspection (cycles-since-last-inspection (CSLI)) | Parts exceeding initial inspection cycles (cycles-in-service (CIS)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) RB211-524C2, -524D4, -524G, and -524H | Within 1,400 to 1,600 CSN | Within 200 CSLI | Within 100 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
| (2) RB211-524B-02, -524B, -524B3, and -524B4 | Within 3,000 to 3,200 CSN | Within 200 CSLI | Within 200 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
Borescope-inspect combustion liner head sections previously repaired using RR Field Repair Scheme FRS5367/B. Use paragraphs 3.A.(1) through 3.A.(5) of the Accomplishment Instructions of RR ASB No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revision 9, dated July 28, 2003, and the compliance thresholds in Table 2 of this AD.
| Engine series | Initial inspection (cycles-since-last-repair (CSLR)) | Repetitive inspection (cycles-since-last-inspection (CSLI)) | Parts exceeding initial inspection cycles (cycles-in-service (CIS)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) RB211-524C2, -524D4, -524G, and -524H | Within 1,800 to 2,200 CSLR | Within 400 CSLI | Within 200 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
| (2) RB211-524B-02, -524B2, -524B3, and -524B4 | Within 3,000 to 3,200 CSLR | Within 400 CSLI | Within 200 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
Borescope-inspect combustion liner sections that have been repaired using a method other than RR Field Repair Scheme FRS5367/B. Use paragraphs 3.A.(1) through 3.A.(5) of the Accomplishment Instructions of RR ASB No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revision 9, dated July 28, 2003, and the compliance thresholds in Table 3 of this AD.
| Engine series | Initial inspection cycles (cycles-since-last-repair (CSLR)) | Repetitive inspection cycles (cycles-since-last-inspection (CSLI)) | Parts exceeding initial inspection cycles (cycles-in-service (CIS)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) RB211-524C2, -524D4, -524G, and -524H | Within 500 to 700 CSLR | Within 200 CSLI | Within 100 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
| (2) RB211-524B-02, -524B2, -524B3, and -524B4 | Within 2,000 to 2,200 CSLR | Within 200 CSLI | Within 200 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
Note 1: For an installed front combustion liner that is subject to RR ASB No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revision 9, dated July 28, 2003: If the operator can confirm with the relevant overhaul base or repair vendor that the nicrobraze repair RR Field Repair Scheme FRS5367 has been applied to all 18 struts, then this is equivalent to compliance with RR Field Repair Scheme FRS5367/B.
Note 2: Head sections repaired by replacement of all 18 struts using RR Field Repair Scheme FRS6548 are considered as equivalent to fitting a new head section for inspection purposes.
(i) Borescope-inspect meterpanel assemblies, incorporating Service Bulletin (SB) No. RB.211-72-7998, that have not been previously repaired. Using Paragraphs 3.B.(1) through 3.B.(7) of the Accomplishment Instructions of RR ASB No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revisions 9, dated July 28, 2003, and the compliance thresholds in Table 4 of this AD.
| Engine series | Initial inspection cycles-since-new (CSN) | Repetitive inspection cycles (cycles-since-last-inspection (CSLI)) | Parts exceeding initial inspection cycles (cycles-in-service (CIS)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) RB211-524D4, -524G, and -524H | Within 1,000 to 1,200 CSN | Within 400 CSLI | Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
| (2) RB211-524D4, -524G, and -524H that have not used RB211-524H ratings at any time | Within 1,800 to 2,000 CSN | Within 400 CSLI | Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
(J) Borescope-inspect meterpanel assemblies, incorporating Service Bulletin (SB) No. RB.211-72-7998, that have been previously repaired. Use paragraphs 3.B.(1) through 3.B.(7) of the Accomplishment Instructions of RR ASB No. RB.211-72-AB482, Revision 9, dated July 28, 2003, and the compliance thresholds in Table 5 of this AD.
| Engine series | Initial inspection cycles (cycles-since-last-repair (CSLR)) | Repetitive inspection cycles (cycles-since-last-inspection (CSLI)) | Parts exceeding initial inspection cycles (cycles-in-service (CIS)) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) RB211-524D4, -524G, and -524H | Within 500 to 700 CSLR | Within 400 CSLI | Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD. |
Note 3: There is no requirement to inspect meter panels for combustors to a pre-RR SB No. RB.211-72-7998 standard.
Replace parts that exceed the acceptance criteria. Information about the acceptance criteria can be found in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual, 72-00-00, Inspection/Check.
Replace any front combustion liner assembly that has a P/N listed in paragraph (c) of this AD at the next shop visit or within 10,000 CSN but no later than December 31, 2012.
(m) Replacement of the front combustion liner assembly with a front combustion liner assembly that incorporates the modifications in RR SB No. RB.211-72-9670 or RR SB No. RB.211-72-9764 in the RB211-524B02, -524B2, -524B3, -524B4, -524C2 and -524D4 engines constitutes terminating action to the repetitive inspections in paragraphs (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j), of this AD.
(n) Replacement of the front combustion liner assembly with a front combustion liner assembly that incorporates the modifications in RR SB No. RB.211-72-9764 in the RB211-524G and -524H engines constitutes terminating action to the repetitive inspections in paragraphs (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) of this AD.
For the purpose of this AD, a shop visit is defined as any time that the 04 module is removed for refurbishment or overhaul.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
