Rolls-Royce to replace up to 40 A380 jet engines

ROLLS-ROYCE may replace up to 40 engines on Airbus A380 superjumbos flown by three airlines, Qantas said yesterday after a mid-air explosion sparked safety fears over the world’s biggest passenger jet.

The number accounts for nearly half the Trent 900 engines powering A380s operated by Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Germany’s Lufthansa and follows extensive checks after the November 4 blast over Indonesia.

Rolls-Royce has pinpointed a “specific component” in the Trent 900 as the cause of an oil fire behind the blast. Each A380 is powered by four engines.