Airbus A330/MRTT: FAA Issues Urgent Directive for GE CF6-80E1 Engines Over Turbine Disk Defects
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new Airworthiness Directive (AD) affecting certain models of General Electric CF6-80E1 engines, widely used in wide-body aircraft such as the Airbus A330. The measure, identified as AD 2025-10-11 and effective starting June 24, 2025, responds to a manufacturer-led investigation that uncovered potential iron contamination in high-pressure turbine (HPT) disks.
General Electric’s investigation revealed that some stage 1 and stage 2 HPT disks were manufactured using powder metallurgy material suspected of containing iron inclusions. These inclusions, attributed to deficiencies in the manufacturing process, could “cause reduced material properties and shorter fatigue life, potentially leading to premature cracking and uncontained failure.”
The specific engine models covered by this directive are the CF6-80E1A2, CF6-80E1A3, CF6-80E1A4, and CF6-80E1A4/B. These engines are among the options for powering the Airbus A330, a workhorse for numerous airlines on medium- and long-haul routes.
The FAA states that it is issuing this directive “to prevent cracking and potential uncontained failure of certain stage 1 and stage 2 HPT disks.” It further warns that “the unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained failures, engine damage, and aircraft damage.” Although no failures have been linked to the identified iron inclusions so far, the FAA concluded that replacing the affected HPT disks is necessary to prevent future incidents.
The directive mandates the replacement of the affected stage 1 and stage 2 HPT disks, identified by specific part numbers (P/N) and serial numbers (S/N) listed in Table 1 of the AD, with approved replacement parts.
For specific disks (P/N 1863M36G06 S/N GWN0GP27 and P/N 1778M72P05 S/N BTB77100), removal and replacement must occur before the next flight after the AD's effective date. For other affected stage 1 HPT disks, the required action must be taken at the next part exposure or before the disk exceeds 8,600 cycles since new (CSN), whichever comes first. A grace period of up to 50 flight cycles is granted for disks with more than 8,550 CSN. For the remaining stage 2 HPT disks, replacement must occur at the next part exposure or before 12,000 CSN.
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During the public comment period on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Delta Air Lines (DAL) requested revisions to include certain CF6-80C2 engine variants, arguing that HPT disks from the CF6-80E1 fleet could be installed in CF6-80C2 engines. The airline also called for a ban on installing the removed parts in non-CF6-80E1 engines, but the FAA rejected these suggestions.
The agency stated that the directive applies to engine models with known affected parts and that “parts removed from service by AD action are unserviceable and not eligible for reinstallation in any engine.” Therefore, it did not find it necessary to alter the directive’s applicability or add an installation ban.
The FAA estimates this directive affects one engine installed on a U.S.-registered aircraft, with prorated compliance costs of $1,229,480 for replacing the stage 1 HPT disk and $202,280 for the stage 2 disk.
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