SYDNEY - An Airbus executive says Rolls-Royce has identified a faulty bearing box as the cause of oil leaks on some of the world's largest airliners.
Airbus Chief Operating Officer John Leahy told reporters in Sydney that Rolls-Royce fixed the problem on newer models of the massive Trent 900 engine. He said Rolls was now fixing it on older versions. The Herald Sun newspaper reported his comments on its website. Airbus did not elaborate.
Rolls-Royce Group PLC said Friday that the midair disintegration of a Trent 900 on a Qantas A380 superjumbo last week resulted from a problem in a specific component, but it did not provide details.
The box in question contains the metal ball bearings that allow movement of the drive shaft that powers jet engines.
