(Picture courtesy of GKN Aerospace)
GKN Aerospace (
www.gkn.com) has formed a fan blade repair Centre of Excellence for the GE CF6 high-bypass turbofan engine, which is acknowledged as a cornerstone of the wide-body aircraft business.
The after-market 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, MD11, Boeing 747 and 767, as well as Airbus’s A300, A310, and A330 aircraft.
Darren Levack — GKN Aerospace vice-president in El Cajon, California — said: “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 that we provide, and it is our intention to extend this operation in the coming years, growing the support that we offer to airlines and aircraft operators globally.”
GKN Aerospace’s El Cajon facility is the largest independent fan blade shop in the world. It 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, GE Aviation, International Aero Engines, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.