The Federal Aviation Administration issued a proposed airworthiness directive on August 7 for certain Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 aircraft equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, citing a manufacturer report that a protective barrier on the right engine's fan cowl does not fully shield nearby components from potential debris. The agency said the gap could leave oil lines and a sense line exposed to fragments if the opposite engine suffered an uncontained failure, raising the risk of damage that could shut down both engines during flight.
The proposed rule would require operators to check maintenance records or physically inspect the right engine to confirm which fan cowl part number is installed, then carry out any follow-up repairs or replacement the inspection calls for. The FAA estimates the requirement would affect 22 aircraft on the US registry, with a records check or inspection costing roughly 255 dollars per airplane. Modifying a fan cowl found to need correction would run closer to 5,200 dollars in labor and parts, according to the agency's cost estimate, though some of that expense may be covered under warranty.
The directive stems from a Boeing service bulletin issued in February that laid out the inspection and repair procedures now being folded into the FAA rule. The agency is accepting public comment on the proposal through September 21 before deciding whether to finalize the requirement.
Source: Federal Register - https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/07/2026-16157/airworthiness-directives-the-boeing-company-airplanes