Various flights are being forced to ground because of problems with their Rolls-Royce engines, the latest in a long line of issues with the British engineering company’s products.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is known for having had its fair share of problems. In its first year of service, at least four aircraft suffered from electrical problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries, which led to a months-long grounding of all 787s.
However, some 787s are now experiencing new engine troubles, which will cause some disruption to passengers in the midst of the busy holiday season. Air New Zealand, British Airways are amongst some fleet facing problems with the engine.
Air New Zealand Boeing 787 engine was shut down while it was performing flight from Auckland to Tokyo Narita with 268 passengers and 14 crew on Tuesday. The crew stopped the climb due to engine vibrations and abnormal engine sounds and then shut the engine down and returned to Auckland for a safe landing on runway 23L about 50 minutes after departure.
European safety regulator EASA, along with other worldwide aviation safety agencies, has proposed immediate measures to address possible cracks to the fan blades of the Rolls Royce engines installed on hundreds of Dreamliner, including those flying for British Airways, ANA and Air New Zealand.
The airlines are canceling a large number of flights due to aircraft shortage since 787s must undergo urgent maintenance. But the urgent maintenance checks are set to ramp up next week, and take place over the course of holiday period, hence the changes in the flying schedule.
Rolls Royce says it is “working together to minimize this impact and restore full flight operations as soon as possible.”
