FAA proposes engine changes on some Boeing jets

DALLAS - Federal regulators propose requiring modifications to the engines of some Boeing 777 jets to prevent ice from forming in fuel lines during long flights, a problem blamed for the crash of a British Airways plane last year.

The work would have to be completed by January 2011.

The Federal Aviation Administration proposed the safety directive Thursday, following a similar move by European regulators. The FAA rule would call for redesigning a system that heats fuel and cools oil in the engines of some Trent engines made by Rolls Royce PLC and installed on some Boeing 777 jets.

Chicago-based Boeing Co. said there are about 50 such planes operating in the United States.

In January 2008, a British Airways jet arriving from China crashed short of the runway at London's Heathrow Airport after both engines lost power. No one was killed, but several passengers were hurt and the jet was totaled.

Investigators determined that ice built up during the long flight over a polar route. They said when the pilots applied thrust for landing, the ice dislodged and blocked the flow of fuel.

Ice buildup was also suspected in the case of a Delta jet that lost power in one engine on a trip from Shanghai to Atlanta last November. The problem developed as the plane cruised over Montana but went away after the pilots took the jet down several thousand feet to a lower altitude. The plane made a normal landing in Atlanta.

Last September, Boeing recommended that pilots take steps such as opening the throttle to climb in steps to prevent the buildup of ice in fuel lines. It also recommended certain refueling procedures on the ground when temperatures dip particularly low.

Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Angers said the company and Rolls Royce have been working with the FAA and European aviation regulators to certify a redesigned heat exchanger with greater ability to handle ice in the fuel system.

"The conditions that seem to have led to the British Airways accident are rare to start with, and we've got interim procedures in place to minimize the effects these conditions will have on airplanes in flight until the new (heat exchangers) are installed," Angers said.

Rolls Royce spokesman Ian Bustin said the company was confident of meeting the FAA requirements.

All of American Airlines' 47 Boeing 777s would be covered by the proposed order.

Spokesman Tim Wagner said American believes it could do the work during normally scheduled maintenance and would do the work as quickly as it can get new heat exchangers. In the meantime, he said, the airline was following recommended procedures during flight to clear the fuel lines during potentially icy situations.

Delta has eight 777s with the Trent engines and expects to have the work done "well ahead of the deadline with no customer impact," said spokeswoman Betsy Talton.

The companies have until Aug. 24 to comment on the FAA proposal. The work on each plane would have to be completed before the jet flies another 6,000 hours after the rule takes effect, but no later than Jan. 1, 2011.

The order would not affect all Boeing 777s. Many have engines made by General Electric and Pratt & Whitney that are not thought to be vulnerable to ice buildup.

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AP Business Writer Daniel Lovering in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

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