A Rolls spokesman didn’t say how many planes were affected, identify other customers or give details of the blades’ shortened life. The company said in February that about 35 Dreamliners remained grounded and that it aimed to reduce that number to about 10 by the end of the year.
LONDON/SINGAPORE (April 2): Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc said it will accelerate a program to install redesigned blades on some of its Trent 1000 engines, after early wear forced Singapore Airlines Ltd. to ground two 787 aircraft using the turbines.
The latest setback for the Trent 1000 TEN, used on Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner jets, came after the U.K. engine maker sampled a small number of the global fleet that had “flown in more arduous conditions,” Rolls said Tuesday in a statement. The company said it will work closely with customers that are affected as it tests “an enhanced version of this blade.”
