Faulty Fuel Control Snags Some Gulfstreams

By David A. Lombardo

May 15, 2008
Maintenance and Modifications

Seventeen Gulfstreams with recently overhauled Rolls-Royce Spey or Tay engines were grounded last Friday when a problem was discovered with the engine’s air control actuator (ACA), a key fuel control component. According to Gulfstream director of customer support Mitch Choquette, three of the aircraft were already in scheduled maintenance at the time.

The remaining operators had been contacted by Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce or BizJet within 24 hours of the discovery and were advised not to fly their aircraft. All the engines were being, or had recently been, overhauled by either Rolls-Royce or BizJet International.

Douglas Cribbes, senior vice president of aftermarket and customer service for Rolls-Royce, said both service providers had sent the ACAs to Goodrich in Montreal for overhaul. “Somehow the diaphragm in the ACAs got contaminated by peroxide, but we still don’t know how that happened.

Goodrich has launched an investigation,” he told AIN. Failure of the diaphragm can result in an engine over-temp.

All aircraft have since been returned to service. Goodrich did not respond to AIN’s request for comment.

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