Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd recently announced in Tokyo that it is entering into the civil aircraft engine maintenance business, undertaking the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of civil aircraft engines.
The company has experience with PW1100G-JM engine part repairs through its participation in International Aero Engines (IAE). This is a joint-venture corporation established by the US’s Pratt & Whitney, the Japanese Aero Engines Corporation (JAEC), and Germany’s MTU Aero Engines AG (Kawasaki participates in the PW1100G-JM engine programme as a JAEC member). By investing about 7 billion yen, Kawasaki will commence maintenance for PW1100G-JM engines, with the goal of ramping up to at least 50 engines annually by FY2031.
Kawasaki said that with the recovery in demand for commercial airliners and the resulting increases in fleet numbers, steady growth in demand is forecast for civil aircraft engine maintenance. At the same time, maintenance capacity deficiencies are expected to become a global-scale problem. In response, the company says it intends to provide prompt, high-quality maintenance services by using advanced technological strengths “fostered through experience in joint international development and manufacturing programmes for civil aircraft engines, wide-reaching knowledge, and experience gained through engine maintenance operations for the Japanese Ministry of Defence, and automation methods derived from Kawasaki robotics technologies.
“By making full use of techniques, know-how and experience gained through such endeavours over the years while also bringing together technologies from all of the Kawasaki Group, the company plans for an early launch and subsequent expansion of its new civil aircraft engine maintenance business operations. Moving forward, Kawasaki will contribute to maintaining and improving safety levels and operating efficiency for aircraft all over the world as well as the further development of Japan’s aircraft industry.”