Will this any effect on the Qantas 787 long range flights?

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FlyboyAl

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Just found this on another forum discussing the pros and cons of the Rolls Royce engines on the 787 aircraft, and wondered if it will have any effect on the long haul operations that Qantas are doing, and planning for the 787 fleet?

LONDON (Reuters) - Rolls-Royce (RR.L) requires more money and more inspections to fix problems with Trent 1000 engines on Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner planes, leading to further disruption for airlines and testing relations between Rolls and its customers. Problems with engine turbine blades wearing out sooner than expected have hampered a restructuring program prompted by the engineering company’s declining older engine program and plunging demand for oil equipment.

It said on Friday that more regular inspections are required and would lead “to higher than previously guided cash costs being incurred during 2018”.

“We sincerely regret the disruption this will cause to our customers,” CEO Warren East said in a statement.

Airlines have already been forced to alter schedules or lease other aircraft, but the latest issues could be more far-reaching.

Regulators eye new measures after Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 glitches: source

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to reduce the amount of time the affected planes can fly on a single engine after a failure of the other. The time limit would drop as low as 140 minutes, compared with the current window of 330 minutes, a source familiar with the plans said.

This effectively curtails operations across oceans or remote areas.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will also order increased inspections of affected engines in line with actions outlined by Rolls-Royce. Currently inspections must be carried out after every 200 flight cycles.

The two advisories are due to be issued on Friday, the source said.

Rolls said it would reprioritize spending to mitigate the costs and kept its 2018 free cash flow guidance unchanged at about 450 million pounds ($643 million), give or take 100 million pounds.

Shares in Rolls, one of the biggest names in British manufacturing, were down 1.3 percent by 1251 GMT.

It announced the need for stepped up inspections after liaising with authorities over a separate issue with the compressor on Trent 1000 Package C series engines. Rolls said there were 380 such engines in service.

Boeing said that about 25 percent of the Dreamliners flying were powered by the engine and it was deploying support teams to help to manage service disruptions.

General Electric (GE.N) engines used on some Boeing 787 Dreamliners are not affected.

ENGINE SHORTAGES

The need to inspect and repair Trent 1000 engines has led to an industry-wide shortage.

CEO East said Rolls was working with Boeing and airlines to minimize the disruption.

“Our team of technical experts and service engineers is working around the clock to ensure we return them to full service as soon as possible,” he said.
 
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to reduce the amount of time the affected planes can fly on a single engine after a failure of the other. The time limit would drop as low as 140 minutes, compared with the current window of 330 minutes, a source familiar with the plans said.

This sort of restriction, at least according to Great Circle Mapper, could effect trans-pacific operations, but would not appear to have any effect on PER Europe routes, whilst these traverse the Indian Ocean, they do remain relatively close to populated areas. If you look at SYD/MEL - LHR great circle these are largely overland routes (shortest great circle is MEL-BKK-LHR, SYD-HKG-LHR)
 
I guess if they use GE engines, it's not an issue.
I thought that as they user RR on the 380's they had stayed with them.
My bad.
 
About 1/3 of delivered 787s have the Trent 1000.
Airlines using the RR engines include, VS, TR, SQ, BI, DY, LO, GF, LY, BA, AV, NH, NZ and LA.
 
This sort of restriction, at least according to Great Circle Mapper, could effect trans-pacific operations, but would not appear to have any effect on PER Europe routes, whilst these traverse the Indian Ocean, they do remain relatively close to populated areas. If you look at SYD/MEL - LHR great circle these are largely overland routes (shortest great circle is MEL-BKK-LHR, SYD-HKG-LHR)

I believe they have affected NZs TPAC operations
 
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