Page 36 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 Online Magazine

GIANT LEAP

AFI KLM E&M is now approved to
offer its services to all operators of
the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines

Jay Menon

early two years after it came into service, maintenance A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX worldwide.”
offerings are growing by leaps and bounds for CFM The Air France KLM Group is already provid-
LEAP engines and AFI KLM E&M is in the forefront to ing initial LEAP support for operators, and
Ncarry out on wing and on-site maintenance of LEAP in particular has successfully carried out an
1As, which power Airbus A320 neos, and LEAP 1Bs with which engine build-up workscope for TUI Group,
the Boeing 737 MAXs are equipped. The Franco-Dutch group chalking up experience prior to carrying out
wants to make sure that it doesn’t miss out on the potentially more complex work scopes, especially Quick
huge market with nearly 15,000 engines already ordered. Turn operations.” Regarding the work for TUI,
Brachet says it has successfully completed
Maintenance Ready an engine build-up on a LEAP-1B engine for
AFI KLM E&M received approval from the Federal Aviation the airline group at its Amsterdam-Schiphol
Authority (FAA) on May 28, clearing it to carry out on-wing/ facility, thus demonstrating “its ability already
on site work on LEAP-type engines. Along with the European to take charge of light maintenance on CFM’s
Air Safety Agency (EASA), the FAA is one of the world’s most new-generation engine and to meet early
important bodies responsible for civil aviation. After gaining needs of operating airlines.”
approval from the European body, AFI KLM E&M received the Engine build-up operations involve mount-
green signal from FAA and is accordingly continuing to ramp up ing all the related components (supports,
its LEAP industrialization programme. The MRO service provider ducting, electrical harnesses, LRUs, etc.) on
is now also able to offer its services to North American airlines a basic engine block. TUI Group, which earlier
operating the new-generation engine. this year took delivery of its first Boeing 737
One of the first MRO services suppliers to support LEAP MAX out of a total order of 72 ordered for
operators worldwide, AFI KLM E&M is already meeting the its various airlines, called on AFI KLM E&M
needs of its customers in carrying out the first wing/on site to perform the build-up on a spare LEAP-1B.
work on LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines. The scope of that
work may include engine build-up services, borescope inspec- Making the Difference
tions, or changing Line Replaceable Units (LRU). Anne Brachet, According to analysts AFI KLM E&M has the
Executive Vice President AIR FRANCE KLM Engineering and confidence on the strength of the experi-
Maintenance, says: “FAA approval is a further milestone in the ence acquired on the GEnx and the ongoing
development of our dedicated LEAP maintenance offering. AFI developments on the Trent XWB, AFI KLM
KLM E&M is now approved to offer its services to all opera- E&M is to support the first maintenance
tors of the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines equipping the Airbus operations on the LEAP engine with an

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