GKN Aerospace has formed a Centre of Excellence for fan blade repairs for the GE CF6 high-bypass turbofan engine, which is acknowledged as a cornerstone of the wide-body engine
aircraft business.
The aftermarket and licensing agreements between GE Aviation and GKN Aerospace cover all fan blade repairs for the entire suite of CF6 engines, which equip 13 aircraft types including
the DC10, the MD11, Boeing 747 and 767 and Airbus A300, A310 and A330 aircraft.
Darren Levack, Vice President & General Manager, GKN Aerospace, El Cajon, comments: "This is an extremely important extension to our long-established relationship with GE and its
airline customers. These are exceptionally successful engines powering some of the most recognised and respected passenger aircraft and regional jets. We are proud of the extensive
fan blade repair service we provide and it is our intention to extend this operation in the coming years, growing the support we offer to the airlines and aircraft operators globally."
GKN Aerospace has the largest independent fan blade shop in the world, based in El Cajon, CA, USA. This operation repairs over 65,000 blades annually and supports over 180 airlines
and jet engine overhaul shops globally. The service holds a wide range of approvals covering engine fan blades, fan disks and fan cases from engine manufacturers CFM International, Inc.,
GE Aviation, International Aero Engines, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. Among the more complex repairs provided is the full performance restoration of CFM56-7 blades, including the
long leading edge patch (Rep. 016). This complex repair restores the chord of the fan blade and virtually eliminates chord wear as a cause of fan blade replacement, reducing operator
maintenance costs significantly.
Across the company, GKN Aerospace provides a complete range of aftermarket services from maintenance, repair and overhaul through to 24 hour
AOG services. GKN Aerospace works
in partnership
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Inspector performs dimensional inspection of a CF6-80E fan blade. |
with aircraft and aero-engine manufacturers, MRO providers and global
stockists, delivering support through a network of global 'one-stop-shop' centres providing: metallic
and composite airframe and aero-engine component repair, including nacelles, exhaust systems, fan blades; transparencies repair including passenger cabin and cockpit windows and
windscreens and de-icing systems: emergency flotation equipment and fuel tank repair. Our repair stations are fully FAA/EASA certified and provide comprehensive logistics, engineering,
technical publications and PMA support. |
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