Global Fastener News

FAA Orders Aircraft Engine Bolt Replacement

John Wolz

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an airworthiness directive calling for replacement of engine pylon bolts at an estimated cost of $1,200 per aircraft.
The bolt directive and another one involving bearing systems hardware affect the ALF 502 and LF 507 turbofan engines, according to The Weekly of Business Aviation.
A spokesperson for Honeywell, which purchased the ALF 502/LF 507 engine line that was part of Textron Lycoming�s Turbine Engine Division more than five years ago for $375 million, told Business Aviation that about 70% of the 507 aircraft and 50% of the 502 fleet already have been retrofitted with a new bearing/disk package. The spokesperson said 70% of the aircraft are in Honeywell�s Power-By-The-Hour program, so operators will incur no costs. AlliedSignal/Honeywell has invested nearly $30 million in product improvements since the acquisition in 1994.