Rule2026-10594
Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
Primary source
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Published
May 28, 2026
Effective
June 12, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-24- 08, which applied to certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, 772B-60, and 772C-60 engines. AD 2020-24-08 required replacement of high-pressure turbine (HPT) blades with parts eligible for installation before exceeding specified flight cycles since new. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-24-08, RRD published updated service material to revise the applicability for certain engines and introduce a terminating action for the repetitive replacements of the HPT blades. This AD requires removal from service of certain engines and replacement of the HPT blades before exceeding specified flight cycles since new. This AD also allows for a modification of the engine that would eliminate the need for the repetitive replacements of the HPT blades. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 102 (Thursday, May 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 102 (Thursday, May 28, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31647-31649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10594]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 102 / Thursday, May 28, 2026 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 31647]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2026-4635; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00213-E;
Amendment 39-23346; AD 2026-10-06]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-24-
08, which applied to certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD)
Model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, 772B-60, and 772C-60 engines. AD
2020-24-08 required replacement of high-pressure turbine (HPT) blades
with parts eligible for installation before exceeding specified flight
cycles since new. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-24-08, RRD published
updated service material to revise the applicability for certain
engines and introduce a terminating action for the repetitive
replacements of the HPT blades. This AD requires removal from service
of certain engines and replacement of the HPT blades before exceeding
specified flight cycles since new. This AD also allows for a
modification of the engine that would eliminate the need for the
repetitive replacements of the HPT blades. The FAA is issuing this AD
to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective June 12, 2026.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of June 12,
2026.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by July 13, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2026-4635; or in person at Docket Operations between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD
docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> For European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) material
identified in this AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668
Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3071744370555143511e5545425f40511e5545"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a1b1e291a3f3b293b743f2f28352a3b743f2f">[email protected]</span></a>;
website: easa.europa.eu. You may find this material on the EASA website
at ad.easa.europa.eu.
<bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2026-4635.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daiyun Fang, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: (206) 910-
0063; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6105000818140f4f07000f06210700004f060e17"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0367626a7a766d2d65626d64436562622d646c75">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments
about this final rule. Send your comments using a method listed under
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2026-4635; Project
Identifier MCAI-2025-00213-E'' at the beginning of your comments. The
most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the final rule,
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date
and may amend this final rule because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this final rule.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this AD, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Daiyun
Fang, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des
Moines, WA 98198. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA issued AD 2020-24-08, Amendment 39-21338 (85 FR 82302,
December 18, 2020) (AD 2020-24-08), for RRD Model RB211 Trent 768-60,
772-60, 772B-60, and 772C-60 engines. AD 2020-24-08 was prompted by an
MCAI originated by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member
States of the European Union. EASA issued AD 2018-0291, dated December
21, 2018 (EASA AD 2018-0291), to correct an unsafe condition identified
as high levels of corrosion fatigue of the HPT blades on certain RRD
Model RB211 Trent 700 engines. AD 2020-24-08 required replacement of
the HPT blades
[[Page 31648]]
with parts eligible for installation before exceeding specified flight
cycles since new. The FAA issued AD 2020-24-08 to prevent failure of
the HPT blades.
Actions Since AD 2020-24-08 Was Issued
Since the FAA issued AD 2020-24-08, EASA superseded EASA AD 2018-
0291 and issued EASA AD 2018-0291R1, dated February 24, 2025 (EASA AD
2018-0291R1) (also referred to as the MCAI). RRD also published updated
service material to remove certain engines from the applicability and
to introduce an optional terminating action for the replacement of the
HPT blades. The MCAI states that affected blades on RRD Model RB211
Trent 700 engines have been subject to high levels of corrosion
fatigue, which could result in blade cracking and eventual release with
consequent aborted take-off and in-flight shut-down events. Sampling
has identified that corrosion fatigue affects blades at varying rates
and is likely dependent on environmental, operational, and individual
blade conditions. To address this potential unsafe condition, the MCAI
requires removal from service of certain engines and replacement of the
HPT blades before exceeding specified flight cycles since new and also
allows for a modification of the engine that would eliminate the need
for the repetitive replacements of the HPT blades. You may examine the
MCAI in the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2026-
4635.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2018-0291R1, which specifies procedures
for removal of specific engines to enable replacement of potentially
corrosion-fatigued HPT blades. EASA AD 2018-0291R1 also specifies
procedures for replacement of the HPT blades and modification of an
engine as terminating action for the repetitive replacements.
This material is reasonably available because the interested
parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by
the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
FAA's Determination
These products have been approved by the civil aviation authority
(CAA) of another country and are approved for operation in the United
States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of
Design Authority, that authority has notified the FAA of the unsafe
condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing
this AD after determining that the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same
type design.
AD Requirements
This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD
2018-0291R1, described previously, as incorporated by reference, except
for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of
this AD. See ``Differences Between this AD and the MCAI'' for a
discussion of the general differences included in this AD.
Differences Between This AD and the MCAI
Where EASA AD 2018-0291R1 applies to RRD Model RB211 Trent 772C-60
engines, this AD does not, as these engines do not have an FAA type
certificate.
Explanation of Required Compliance Information
In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use some CAA ADs as the primary
source of information for compliance with requirements for
corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been coordinating this process with
manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the FAA incorporates EASA AD 2018-
0291R1 by reference in the FAA final rule. This AD, therefore, requires
compliance with EASA AD 2018-0291R1 in its entirety through that
incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in
the regulatory text of this AD. Using common terms that are the same as
the heading of a particular section in EASA AD 2018-0291R1 does not
mean that operators need comply only with that section. For example,
where the AD requirement refers to ``all required actions and
compliance times,'' compliance with this AD requirement is not limited
to the section titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in
EASA AD 2018-0291R1. Material required by EASA AD 2018-0291R1 for
compliance will be available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-
2026-4635 after this AD is published.
Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective
Date
Section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C.
551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and comment
procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds that
those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the
public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days,
upon a finding of good cause.
The FAA justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of
this rule because no domestic operators use this product. It is
unlikely that the FAA will receive any adverse comments or useful
information about this AD from any U.S. operator. Accordingly, notice
and opportunity for prior public comment are unnecessary, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b). In addition, for the foregoing reason(s), the FAA finds
that good cause exists pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for making this
amendment effective in less than 30 days.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because the FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and
comment, RFA analysis is not required.
Costs of Compliance
There are no costs of compliance with this AD because there are no
engines with this type certificate on the U.S. Registry.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements.
Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight
of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for
practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary
for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that
authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to
exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order
13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct effect on the States,
on
[[Page 31649]]
the relationship between the national government and the States, or on
the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels
of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866, and
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by:
0
a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 2020-24-08, Amendment 39-21338 (85
FR 82302, December 18, 2020); and
0
b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive:
2026-10-06 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG: Amendment 39-23346;
Docket No. FAA-2026-4635; Project Identifier MCAI-2025-00213-E.
(a) Effective Date
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective June 12, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD replaces AD 2020-24-08, Amendment 39-21338 (85 FR 82302,
December 18, 2020).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD)
Model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 engines as identified
in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 2018-0291R1, dated
February 24, 2025 (EASA AD 2018-0291R1).
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7250, Turbine
Section.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a manufacturer determination that high-
pressure turbine (HPT) blades on certain RRD Model RB211 Trent 700
engines have been subject to high levels of corrosion fatigue. The
FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT blades. The
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in blade failure
with increased risk of high-energy debris release, which could
result in damage to the airplane and reduced control of the
airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Perform all
required actions within the compliance times specified in, and in
accordance with, EASA AD 2018-0291R1.
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2018-0291R1
(1) Where EASA AD 2018-0291R1 refers to its effective date, this
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' paragraph of EASA AD
2018-0291R1.
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, AIR-520 Continued Operational Safety Branch,
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending
information directly to the manager of the AIR-520 Continued
Operational Safety Branch, send it to the attention of the person
identified in paragraph (j) of this AD and email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3e2eeece0e3c5c2c28dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fbbab6b4b8bb9d9a9ad59c948d">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding
district office.
(j) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Daiyun Fang,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines,
WA 98198; phone: (206) 910-0063; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#086c6961717d66266e69666f486e6969266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0266636b7b776c2c64636c65426463632c656d74">[email protected]</span></a>.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the material listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 2018-0291R1,
dated February 24, 2025.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999
000; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92d3d6e1d2f7f3e1f3bcf7e7e0fde2f3bcf7e7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a6b6e596a4f4b594b044f5f58455a4b044f5f">[email protected]</span></a>; website: easa.europa.eu. You may
find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2b4a0fcbbbca1a2b7b1a6bbbdbc92bcb3a0b3fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6d0c498dfd8c5c6d3d5c2dfd9d8f6d8d7c4d798d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on May 8, 2026.
Lona C. Saccomando,
Acting Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-10594 Filed 5-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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