GKN Aerospace becomes Centre of Excellence for GE Aviation CF6 fan blade repair
Right:
An inspector performs dimensional inspection of a CF6-80E fan blade.
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 (aircraft on ground) services. GKN Aerospace works in partnership 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.
