✈️New FAA Airworthiness Directive for GE90 Engines Imposes Compliance Costs
Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Engines
Summary
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-20-17 and AD 2021-15-05 for all General Electric Company (GE) Model GE90- 110B1 and GE90-115B engines. AD 2020-20-17 prohibits dispatch of an airplane if certain status messages are displayed on the engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) and if certain conditions are present; and as terminating action, requires revision of the existing FAA-approved minimum equipment list (MEL) by incorporating the dispatch restrictions into the MEL. AD 2021-15-05 requires initial and repetitive replacement of the full authority digital engine control (FADEC) integrated circuit (MN4) microprocessor. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-20-17 and AD 2021-15-05, the manufacturer has developed a software revision for the electronic engine control (EEC) FADEC that further mitigates the unsafe condition. This AD retains all the actions of AD 2020-20-17 and AD 2021-15-05, and also requires upgrading the EEC FADEC software to an EEC FADEC software version eligible for installation as a terminating action. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Agencies
- Transportation Department
- Federal Aviation Administration
Business Impact
$$$ - High
The FAA's adoption of the final airworthiness directive (AD) imposes compliance requirements on operators of GE90 engines, impacting their operational practices and associated costs for software upgrades and equipment replacements. The financial implications stem from the directive estimating costs of compliance totaling over $8 million for U.S. operators.