Operators of Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 787s will have four years to replace certain fan cowl parts to ensure the engines are protected from debris in the rare case of a serious engine failure, a new FAA draft rule said.
The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) addresses a certification gap following design changes of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The changes leave oil tubes and other components on the right (No. 2) engine’s inboard side inadequately protected from debris that a major left-engine failure could shed, Boeing determined.
The issue has not been linked to any in-service incidents, Boeing said.
The manufacturer is developing reinforced cowl panels and recommended to operators in February that they be replaced within four years. The FAA NPRM is based on Boeing’s bulletin and proposes the same compliance timeline once a final rule is issued.
“Boeing identified a noncompliance and informed the FAA,” Boeing said in a statement. “In February 2026, Boeing issued guidance to operators to replace the affected parts by 2030. We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory. The in-service fleet can continue normal operations.”
Boeing determined “the protection system on the left fan cowl of the right engine does not sufficiently cover the components” on affected engines, the FAA explained in the NPRM’s preamble. “This insufficient cover could leave multiple oil lines and the P30 sense line in the right engine exposed to possible cross engine debris from the intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) rotor stage of the left engine.”
The updated parts integrate metal shielding to restore required debris protection. Neither the NPRM nor Boeing’s bulletin detail the new parts’ costs.
Boeing’s February bulletin said the affected fleet includes Trent 1000-powered aircraft from first deliveries through line no. 1214. That aircraft, a British Airways 787-10, was delivered in June 2025. Boeing data shows it delivered 407 Rolls-powered 787s in that stretch.
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