WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators are requiring immediate inspections and possible repairs to Pratt & Whitney engines on some Airbus passenger jets because of a manufacturing problem that could cause parts to wear out sooner than expected.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it will require ultrasonic inspections of 20 engines on U.S.-registered planes within 30 days. The same flaw affects 202 engines worldwide, the agency said.<\/p>\n
The FAA rule replaces a directive from October, which told aircraft operators to have the engines checked at their next shop visit, and followed a disclosure last month by Pratt that about 200 engines around the world would need quick inspections and potential replacement of engine disks. <\/p>\n
The affected engines are among 1,200 that Pratt estimates will need to be removed from planes and inspected within nine to 12 months because powder metal used in the manufacturing process was contaminated.<\/p>\n
The FAA said it acted after further analysis of an engine shutdown last December that required pilots of an Airbus A320neo to abort a takeoff. Neither the agency nor Pratt would identify the airline.<\/p>\n
Pratt is a division of RTX Corp., which declined to comment.<\/p>\n