In December of this year, Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey (LTAA) marks
10 years of experience with the maintenance, repair and overhaul of
the CF 34-10E engine - a type used in the Embraer 190 and 195
regional jets and the Embraer Lineage 1000 business jet. LTAA, a
wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, added the CF34-1 and
CF34-3 to its portfolio as early as 1991, and they were joined by the
CF34-8 in 2002. Since then, LTAA's employees have supported over 550
CF34-10E shop visits and more than 270 on-site visits for customers.
In 2014, the 100th shop visit of a CF34-10E took place. Even if the
engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) decided in early 2020 to
discontinue new production of the 10E, its future prospects continue
to be good, as Raimund Schnell, Vice President Marketing & Sales at
LTAA, explains: "More than 1500 CF34-10 engines are currently in
operation around the world, and the 10E is currently experiencing a
revival. We have up to 120 maintenance events per year, and we are
assuming further growth in the coming years."
Prior to the introduction of the CF34 family's largest engine, which
produces up to 20,000 pounds of thrust, the existing test bay had to
be enlarged. What is more, preparations were needed for those engine
modules that were likely the most maintenance-intensive parts for
operators.
Experience quickly revealed that the low-pressure turbine (LPT) in
particular was showing signs of wear. Thus LTAA developed an LPT
Module Modification Program. At the heart of the program is the
on-site removal of the LPT followed by a workshop repair -
cost-effectively and with very short turnaround times: up to four
days for the removal and reinstallation of the LPT module, plus up to
nine days for the required changes to the module in the workshop. The
entire process thus lasted just 14 days - as opposed to the more than
35 days required for a regular workshop visit. In addition, it was
possible to dispense with the test run that otherwise would have been
necessary.
LTAA itself largely developed the tool sets needed to replace the
module and procured the fixtures for removing and transporting the
engine as well as the transport containers for the LPT module. The
program was not limited to the facility in Alzey; LPT modules were
removed and reinstalled at sites such as Beijing or Tulsa, Oklahoma,
USA. During the last expansion stage of the program, the LPT modules
were even completely modified in Tulsa and no longer had to be
transported to Alzey.
"In addition to the benefits for customers, the LPT Module
Modification Program also enabled us to eliminate the backlog created
by the delayed introduction of the CF34-10 at LTAA, and maintain our
standing with respect to the competition," recalls Thomas Breit,
Entry Into Service Manager CF34-10 at LTAA.
In parallel, a "top and lower case procedure" for the compressor was
developed with the engine's manufacturer, GE, and introduced to deal
with more sizable compressor damage. It considerably reduced the work
needed for these repairs. The procedure was first carried out on-site
for a customer in Australia, avoiding the transport of the engine all
the way from Australia to Alzey.
LTAA's long years of experience are valued by the engine's
manufacturer as well as by customers: "Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey
and Finnair have been collaborating on CF34 engine shop visits for
several years successfully. As a customer, we especially appreciate
the clear and transparent shop visit process and that there is good
communication and seamless co-operation," notes Marko Anttila, Head
of Continuing Airworthiness and Powerplant Management at Finnair. We
require reliability, cost-effectiveness, and innovative thinking from
our MRO suppliers, which we think Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey has
provided very well. This has been essential during the challenging
times of the Covid-19 pandemic as well."
In addition, LTAA collaborates on the optimization of manuals and
pursues an ongoing exchange with GE. The company also supports the
OEM in short-term projects.
