QUALITY ASSURANCE NOTICE

Form No.IGO/E&M/QAN/No.10/Issue 01, Rev 00

QAN No. 05 of 2021 Dt.28/Jan/2021

ENGINE VIBRATION MONITORING SYSTEM ON PW1100G ENGINES
SUBJECT
(REVISION TO QAN 13 OF 2020)

ATA REF : 71
CATEGORY : MANDATORY

EFFECTIVITY : FORTHWITH

OBJECTIVE : TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURE FOR TROUBLESHOOTING

HIGH N2 VIBRATION ON PW1100G ENGINES
REFERENCES : TSM TASK 71-00-00-810-873-A
QAN 13 of 2020
APPLICABILITY : AIRBUS A320NEO & A321NEO FLEET FITTED WITH
PW1100G ENGINES
AFFECTED DEPARTMENT : ENGINEERING, FLIGHT OPERATIONS
VALID TILL : WITHDRAWN
DESCRIPTION :

This QAN is a revision to the instructions laid down in QAN 13 of 2020 and supersedes the QAN 13
of 2020

The QAN contains guidelines for recording, monitoring and rectification of high N2 vibrations on
PW1100G-JM engines.

ENGINE VIBRATION MONITORING SYSTEM ON PW1100G ENGINES:

There are two vibration sensors on the PW1100G engine:

1. The forward vibration sensor, installed on the compressor intermediate case.

2. The aft vibration sensor, installed on LPT housing.

The forward and aft vibration sensors measure engine vibration levels at fan and core and send
vibration signals to the PHMU.

The PHMU monitors and processes levels for the rotor vibration.

N1 Vibration Signal: The processed fan vibration signal (NF) is sent to the EEC as the N1 vibration
signal.

N2 Vibration Signal: The largest processed high or low pressure rotor vibration signal referred to
as the core vibration is sent to the EEC as the N2 vibration signal.

Flight Deck
Actual
Indication

VIB N1 NF (Fan Vibration)

N1 (LPC/LPT Vibration) or N2 (HPC/HPT Vibration).

VIB N2
Determined by which input has the highest value.

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 QUALITY ASSURANCE NOTICE
Form No.IGO/E&M/QAN/No.10/Issue 01, Rev 00

TROUBLESHOOTING FOR ENG 1(2) HIGH VIBRATION:

The ECAM “ENG 1(2) HIGH VIBRATION” is triggered when N1 or N2 Vibrations is above 5 units.

• In case of High N2 Vibration Event, TSM TASK 71-00-00-810-873-A to be followed. This

procedure provides guidance on troubleshooting steps to be performed in case N2 Vibration
of more than 5 CU is reported. Further it provides separate guidance for High N2 vibration
for ‘short duration’ i.e. less than 120 seconds and high N2 vibration for ‘not short’ duration i.e.
greater than 120 seconds.

• ‘Transient/Short vibration’: If N2 vibration is displayed as ‘Amber’ for a short duration (less

than 120 seconds) followed by a return to vibration displayed as ‘Green’, this is considered
Transient vibration.

• Look at the pilot report for details of vibration, Use the MCDU to review the Post Flight Report
(PFR) and Print AIDS Report to establish the maximum vibration recorded and its duration.
• Check if ENG1(2)D-0668-N2 HI VIB was recorded on the opposite engine in the last 100
cycles and go to the correct section of this procedure based on the above finding.

REPORT DETAILS CAPTURED PURPOSE

AIDS Report 73/74

Collects engine
Report <073> is the Engine maximum vibration
Designed for PW
vibration report for Engine #1. level (NF/N1/N2) and
monitoring
oil system Parameters.
Report <074> is the Engine
vibration report for Engine #2.

AIDS Report 75/76
Report <075> is the Engine N1/N2
vibration report for Engine #1.
Report <076> is the Engine N1/N2
vibration report for Engine #2.
1. Triggered when N1 or
N2 vibrations are above
Collects high engine threshold (5.0 CU
vibration values (>5.0 leading to ECAM alert).
CU leading to
ECAM alert) and 2. Primarily used as a
durations computed in vibration monitoring and
seconds. troubleshooting support,
in relation to TSM Task
71-00-00-810-873-A.

• As per PW, if N2 vibration is less than 5CU, no maintenance action is required. However, in
early 2019 there were few occurrences of high N2 transient vibrations for which DGCA
mandated that N2 VIB above 3 CU to be reported & required actions to be taken. QAN 13 of
2020 was issued to comply with the DGCA recommendations stating the required
maintenance actions.
• Based on in house experience over the past 2 years of troubleshooting of transient vibration
above 3 CU without related findings the matter was taken up again with P&W for guidance
on N2 VIB below 5 CU. Based on this service experiences gained, P&W have reiterated that
there is no maintenance action required for any N2 vibrations below 5 CU. As per P&W, the

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 QUALITY ASSURANCE NOTICE
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root cause for this is a temporary thermal condition of the engine which allows warmer air to
leak past piston seal in HPC. This produces higher recorded vibration levels in the engine for
a short period of time. As the thermal condition stabilizes, vibration level resets. Such kind of
vibration is not physically felt by passengers or crew members. Such vibrations could exist
for up to 120 seconds before coming back to normal. A key characteristic of transient
vibration is that it is not the result of a physical hardware induced imbalance (e.g.
airfoil fracture). Thus the TSM for transient vibration is designed to address potential
issues not related to those addressed with gas path inspections,

• In view of absence of recommendation by P&W on troubleshooting for transient vibration

below 5 CU, it is intended to continue monitoring of any non-transient (above 120 seconds)
vibration above 3 CU. In case of any reporting of vibration above 3 CU but below 5 CU,
Troubleshooting as per the same protocol as required by TSM 71-00-00-810-873-A for
transient N2 vibration between 5 and 6 CU should be carried out.

Based on above in-service experience and advise from PW, following are the REVISED
guidelines for reporting and Troubleshooting of N2 Vibration:

All N2 Vibrations above 3 CU observed for more than 120 seconds are to be reported by Flight
Crew.

• In case of N2 Vibration is reported between 3 CU to 5 CU for less than 120 sec:

No maintenance action is required.

• Vibration between 3 to 5 CU for more than 120 sec:

TSM 71-00-00-810-873-A to be followed for transient N2 vibration between 5 and 6 CU and
following additional steps to be performed:

1. For the first time reporting, Boroscopic inspection of HPC and HPT to be carried out for the
affected engine at the first available opportunity.
2. In case there is a step shift of 1 CU or more in the N2 vibration value at which last BSI was
carried out , the BSI needs to be performed again at next available opportunity to ascertain
any internal distress.
3. In case N2 VIB is repetitively being reported and the N2 VIB value remains less than 5 (upto
4.9) and last BSI of HPC and HPT was carried out more than 30 days earlier, BSI to be
carried out again at next available opportunity.

• For N2 high vibration between 5 CU and 6 CU for less than 120 seconds
TSM 71-00-00-810-873-A to be followed and following additional steps to be performed:

• For the first time reporting, boroscope inspection of HPC and HPT to be carried out for the
affected engine at the first available opportunity.
• In case there is a step shift of 1 CU in the N2 vibration value at which last BSI was carried
out (Max Vib remains less than or equal to 6CU) BSI needs to be performed again at next
available opportunity to ascertain any internal distress.
• In case N2 high VIB is repetitively being reported and last BSI of HPC and HPT was carried
out more than 10 days earlier, BSI to be carried out again at next available opportunity.

Note: If BSI is deferred in any of the above case, a maintenance entry on ADD page of Flight Report
Book is to be made to perform BSI of HPC and HPT at next available opportunity.

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 QUALITY ASSURANCE NOTICE
Form No.IGO/E&M/QAN/No.10/Issue 01, Rev 00

N2 VIB from 5.0 to 6.0 CU >120 seconds

If the duration of N2 vibration as per report 75(76) is >120 seconds, TSM 71-00-00-810-873-A to be
followed and boroscopic inspection of HPC and HPT to be carried out as per TSM.

N2 VIB above 6 CU:

Follow TSM 71-00-00-810-873-A and carry out the necessary tasks as per TSM before released of
the aircraft.

As per Final Investigation Report on Serious Incident to an Indian operator, that operated an A320-
NEO aircraft at Guwahati on 24th March 19, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Ministry
of Civil Aviation, has released their recommendation, wherein all the operators have been advised
that any defect/PDR entry related to A320/A321 NEO engine vibrations shall be cleared by
appropriately qualified AME .

The above is for immediate compliance.

Above instructions supersedes previous instructions laid in QAN 13 of 2020.

Ravi Dutt Sharma

Quality Manager

Raised By Date Effectivity Approved By

POWER PLANT GROUP 28-01-2021 FORTHWITH RAVI DUTT SHARMA

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