Rolls-Royce has advised operators that its Trent 1000 Package C engine will require more inspections than previously planned to address premature wear of compressor blades, a problem that first came to light in 2016 and outlined in the company’s 2017 full-year results. Rolls-Royce reported that 380 Package C engines operate in service, and that airworthiness authorities would issue service management and flight-operations guidance to airlines.

Package C engines power roughly 25 percent of all Boeing 787s in service. The issue does not affect current-production 787s, the Trent 1000 Package B, Trent 1000 TEN or GEnx-1B engines, said Boeing in a statement.

“An existing EASA Airworthiness Directive for the Package C engine requires inspections of an intermediate pressure compressor blade at certain flight cycles,” added Boeing. "If a durability issue is found, the blade will be replaced. This is a known issue and we will continue to work with Rolls-Royce, our customers and the regulators to fully resolve it. Boeing is deploying support teams to mitigate service disruption.”

The requirement for more regular inspections will lead to higher costs incurred during 2018 than originally reported in Rolls-Royce’s guidance, the company said.