Two Singapore 787s Grounded Due To Engine Wear

Singapore Airlines has grounded two Boeing 787-10s after premature blade deterioration was found on some Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN engines.

The airline said the problem was found during routine inspections of its 787-10s and that until replacement engines are delivered, the aircraft would be removed from service.

Manufacturer Rolls-Royce said that since entry into service of the Trent 1000 TEN, it had communicated to operators that high-pressure turbine blades in the engines would have a limited life cycle.

“Working with operators, we have been sampling a small population of the Trent 1000 TEN fleet that have experienced a higher frequency of flights at the upper end of their operating range,” Rolls said in a statement. “This work has shown that a small number of these engines need to have their blades replaced earlier than scheduled.”

Rolls said that in anticipation of limited turbine blade life, its engineers have developed and are testing an enhanced version of the blade.

The engineer said it will work closely with impacted customers “to deliver an accelerated programme to implement the enhanced blade and to ensure that we can deliver on our Trent 1000 TEN future commitments.”

The 1000 TEN is an improved version of the Rolls Trent 1000 engine series, powering just under half of the 787-10s in service. The -10 is the largest of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner range, seating up to 330 in a two-class layout.