US wants changes on some jet engines, GE to fix
Washington, March 5 (Reuters) - U.S. safety investigators urged regulators
on Wednesday to require upgrades and design changes to a popular regional
jet engine made by a unit of General Electric Co .
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) should require GE Aviation to replace
defective fan blades after a reasonable period but still early in the
engine's life.
The blades were made by a supplier and are in roughly 1,500 GE
CF34-3B1 engines mounted on certain jets, including Montreal-based
Bombardier Inc's Canadair CRJ-200 aircraft.
A flaw in the blade's manufacturing process that can cause cracks led
to engine failures on an Air Nostrum CRJ flight in Spain in 2006 and an
Atlantic Southeast Airlines CRJ flight from Syracuse to Atlanta in 2007,
safety investigators said.
In both cases the pilots declared emergencies and landed safely. No
injuries were reported.
The safety board, which cannot force changes but is influential and
can spur change, also wants GE to modify engine design to guard against
possible fires related to the fan blade problem.
"We are issuing this recommendation because we consider the safety
risk associated with this condition to be unacceptably high," NTSB Chairman
Mark Rosenker said.
Rick Kennedy, a GE spokesman, said the company has been working with
the FAA on a blade replacement remedy and will soon notify airlines and
other operators about how to proceed.
An inspection program is already in place, Kennedy said.
Kennedy said the blades made between 2002-07 would be swapped out
over a two-year period and can be done simply. No cost estimate was
immediately available.
The safety board said the number of blades manufactured totaled more
than 28,000, but Kennedy said the number was less than one-half that
figure.
The CF34-3B1 engines have been a workhorse on the regional jet fleet
dating to the mid 1990s with an excellent safety record, Kennedy said.
The FAA said it reviews all safety board recommendations but had no
further comment on whether it would take additional action.
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Reuters 060308
Washington, March 5 (Reuters) - U.S. safety investigators urged regulators
on Wednesday to require upgrades and design changes to a popular regional
jet engine made by a unit of General Electric Co .
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) should require GE Aviation to replace
defective fan blades after a reasonable period but still early in the
engine's life.
The blades were made by a supplier and are in roughly 1,500 GE
CF34-3B1 engines mounted on certain jets, including Montreal-based
Bombardier Inc's Canadair CRJ-200 aircraft.
A flaw in the blade's manufacturing process that can cause cracks led
to engine failures on an Air Nostrum CRJ flight in Spain in 2006 and an
Atlantic Southeast Airlines CRJ flight from Syracuse to Atlanta in 2007,
safety investigators said.
In both cases the pilots declared emergencies and landed safely. No
injuries were reported.
The safety board, which cannot force changes but is influential and
can spur change, also wants GE to modify engine design to guard against
possible fires related to the fan blade problem.
"We are issuing this recommendation because we consider the safety
risk associated with this condition to be unacceptably high," NTSB Chairman
Mark Rosenker said.
Rick Kennedy, a GE spokesman, said the company has been working with
the FAA on a blade replacement remedy and will soon notify airlines and
other operators about how to proceed.
An inspection program is already in place, Kennedy said.
Kennedy said the blades made between 2002-07 would be swapped out
over a two-year period and can be done simply. No cost estimate was
immediately available.
The safety board said the number of blades manufactured totaled more
than 28,000, but Kennedy said the number was less than one-half that
figure.
The CF34-3B1 engines have been a workhorse on the regional jet fleet
dating to the mid 1990s with an excellent safety record, Kennedy said.
The FAA said it reviews all safety board recommendations but had no
further comment on whether it would take additional action.
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Reuters 060308