Just as traffic picks up again, United Airlines will be able to resume the use of 52 of its Boeing 777s after some modifications. The FAA is finalizing airworthiness directives that will lift the grounding of 777s with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. One of the United aircraft had an uncontained failure of one of those engines that sent big chunks of debris onto a suburb of Denver in February of 2021. No one was hurt and the plane landed safely, but the failure prompted the grounding of aircraft with that engine. United is the only carrier with that combination in the U.S.
To get them back on the schedule, United will have to beef up the engine inlet to withstand blade failures and installation of debris shields on the thrust reverser inner wall. There are also repetitive inspections required. United said the ADs are “a good and safe outcome for our industry and United customers.”
