Jumbo engines have failed 10 times

Press, 10 February 1982, Page 6

Jumbo engines have failed 10 times

PA Auckland Air New Zealand has had 10 engine break-downs on its three Boeing 747 s since they were introduced less than 12 months ago. Fout-of the breakdowns—in the ' industry they are referred to as. engine failures/.pceurred last month. In the Jirsl .nine days of this month there have been two more. "

The ' latest engine failure occurred on Monday when a compressor blade’ in the high-pressure compressor of one engine broke down on a flight /from Los Angeles to Papeete. ' ■

Officially the airline says it is not concerned by the number of breakdowns in the Rolls-Royce engines.

But it is known that some engineering staff have expressed surprise at the number of failures in the new engines. The airline's director of engineering. Mr Peter Clayton, said yesterday that the engine breakdowns were not excessive. They were below the predicted number for the hours flown. "While we are not enthused about having to remove any engines, breakdowns are a part of the real world." he said. If the number of break-downs further increased the airline would be concerned. The engines the airline has RB-211-524-B2S-are leased from Rolls-Royce. Later this year it will take delivery of new. improved

D 4 engines which the airline will own.

i The Rolls-Royce . engines were not the airline's first choice. It would have pre- ■ ferred American General Electric motors. But the Government insisted that ithe airliner-go British, and take the Rolls-Royce engines. The latest engine trouble occurred 80 minutes after the‘747 left Los Angeles on Monday. 11. was due to fly- to; Auckland via Papeete and' < had 265 passengers aboard. Flight TE7 then returned to Los Angeles where the faulty engine was being replaced yesterday. , The aircraft is scheduled to return to service today. The passengers; arrived in New Zealand on another flight last evening,