Airworthiness Directive 2018-18-06
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines
What this AD requires
We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2013-02-04 for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 970-84, RB211-Trent 970B-84, RB211-Trent 972-84, RB211-Trent 972B-84, RB211-Trent 977-84, RB211- Trent 977B-84, and RB211-Trent 980-84 turbofan engines. AD 2013-02-04 required on-wing inspections of low-pressure turbine (LPT) disk seal fins and interstage seals when post-flight review indicates Engine Health Monitoring (EHM) vibratory maintenance-alert limits were exceeded in flight. This AD requires additional criteria for the inspection of the stage 2, 3, and 4 LPT disk seal fins and interstage seals and removes the requirement to inspect the stage 5 LPT disk seal fins and interstage seal. This AD was prompted by a Trent 900 engine experiencing increased low-pressure rotor vibration while in flight resulting in an in-flight shutdown (IFSD) and air turnback. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Which aircraft AD 2018-18-06 applies to
Applies to engines that have not incorporated the modifications introduced by RR Alert Service Bulletin RB.211-72-AJ592, dated September 4, 2017.
Whether AD 2018-18-06 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.
How AD compliance is recorded
A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:
Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.
Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.