What Happened
Airworthiness Directive Issued After Component Failure
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive requiring the replacement of high-pressure turbine interstage seals in certain Engine Alliance GP7200 engines installed on Airbus A380 aircraft. The directive was prompted by a seal failure that forced an aircraft to abort a takeoff and applies to 15 seals in GP7270, GP7272, and GP7277 engines. The FAA warned that a repeat failure could lead to an engine fire and damage to the aircraft. The cost of replacement is estimated at $528,150 per engine. This development was first reported by an unknown source.