Page 32 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE FUTURE MRO

expenses) and cost of fuel (approximately selling engine in GE’s history, and now new, Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion
28% of total operating expenses), account it is the fastest production ramp up of a (LEAP) engine family (as of August 31st
for more than 50 percent of the operating GE widebody engine program,” said Tom this year). Record production rates for the
costs. Engine makers have worked to Levin, general manager of the GEnx/CF6 CFM 56 are seeing more than 1500 engine
reduce fuel burn on commercial jet engine product lines at GE Aviation. The being produced a year. The LEAP-1A for
engines by approximately one percent GEnx is fitted on Boeing’s 787 and 747- A320neo family is slated for service entry
each year, over the last 30 years. IATA 8s and the engine first entered service on in 2016. Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower
states that airlines will spend $191 billion the 747-8 aircraft in 2011. More than 60 PW100G family of Geared Turbofan
on fuel in 2015 and expects the industry percent of 787 customers have chosen the Engines (GTF) engine has received in
to deliver a net profit margin of 4%. This engine and the GEnx-1B engine has a 2.3 excess of 6,300 orders and P&W increased
translates to approximately $ 29.3 billion percent fuel burn advantage (for typical GTF engine prices this year. The first
on revenues of $ 727 billion. 787 stage lengths), a dispatch reliability A320neo powered by PW1100G engines is
As per CAVOK, the aviation technical rate of 99.96 % and NOx emissions that scheduled to be delivered before the end of
services and consulting division of are below today’s regulatory limit by as the year. P&W’s GTF will also power a new
international consulting firm Oliver much as 55 %. GE is already working on range of regional jet commuters under
Wyman, its 2015 assessment and ten-year next generation technologies on a GEnx development in the Mitsubishi Regional
outlook of the air transport MRO states, demonstrator engine with lightweight, Jet (MRJ), Irkut MC-21 and Embraer EJet
“the 2015 air transport jet and turboprop heat-resistant ceramic matrix composite E-2, it will also power Bombardier CSeries
MRO markets are expected to be $67.1 (CMC) components and high pressure airplanes. RR will look to the future with its
billion, piercing the $100 billion milestone turbine blades with advance cooling engines designed for widebody airliners in
by 2025.” The report pegs the engine MRO technology. The GEnx demonstrator the Trent XWB and Trent 1000 engines.
for 2015 at $27.9 billion in 2015, growing engine has already successfully completed The Trent XWB 97,000lb thrust variant that
to $46.8 billion by 2025. 2,800 cycles. GE which delivered 2,571 will power the Airbus A350-1000 is slated
New generation aero-engines not commercial engines last year, also has for service entry in 2017.
only feature cutting-edge technology but LEAP and GE9X engines in addition to the
are also being delivered to airframers at GEnx in its portfolio. Flight tests for the
record rates in an effort to get airplanes 100,000 lb thrust class GE9X is expected to
as soon as possible to airline customers. commence from 2017 and receive engine
GE announced in October that the 1,000 certification in 2018. CFM International
GEnx engine had been built just five (a 50/50 joint venture between GE and Pictured above is a CFM56
engine overhaul underway at
years after the first production engine Safran), has accumulated more than 9580 GE Aviation’s MRO facility at
was ready. “The GEnx was the fastest orders and commitments for its brand Strother Field, Kansas
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