MRO supplier Aero Norway launched an upgrade program for CFM56 engines. This will allow spot work without the need for a complete rebuild of the powerplants.
Aero Norway will concentrate on the -3, -5B, and -7B versions of the CFM56, the world’s most popular turbojet engine. The company’s CEO, Glenford Marston, said in this regard that «we have taken steps to sustain the business by providing financial support, hiring partners, and training highly skilled engineers.»
«In the current environment, many customers do not want to pay for a full MRO procedure. For example, previously, if an operator wanted to fly to end-of-life (life-limited parts) but needed to improve EGT margins, he could not do so. Now, all he has to do is contact us and we will do the work,» he continued.
Aero Norway also has used material buying and selling programs and provides engine cannibalization services. «The volume of material for the CFM56-3 engine (used on the 737 Classic) has declined over the past five years,» adds Marston. «However, in 2021 we completed work on more than forty units of this family.»
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«Prior to 2020, we believed that the number of CFM56-3 engines passing through our workshops would decrease as the industry moved towards the CFM56-5B/-7B series. However, a significant increase in 737 Classic utilization, resulting from the need for cost savings brought on by the pandemic, resulted in the need to perform a number of maintenance tasks on these engines,» he said.
Marston indicates that «the focus on CFM56-5B and -7B engines is due in part to the high number of A321 and 737-800 passenger-to-freight (P2F) conversions expected in the future.» Finally, the executive closed by stating that «the 737 MAX problem has meant that many units of these variants have been in the air for longer than expected, so they will soon require shop visits.»
The CFM56-5B is one of the engine options for the Airbus A320 family alongside the IAE V2500. The -7B, meanwhile, is the exclusive powerplant for the B737 NG. This makes the model the most popular engine family in commercial aviation, with more than 32,500 units built.
