* Repair delays have led to industry-wide aircraft
groundings
* GE–Safran venture says it is investing in tackling
bottlenecks
* IndiGo expected to seal CFM order and maintenance deal
* No breakthrough in THY engine talks linked to Boeing jet
order
(Recasts with maintenance investment, adds airline talks)
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 18 (Reuters) – Jet engine maker
CFM said on Saturday it was investing $2 billion over five years
to help meet targets of faster maintenance times, part of
efforts to ease engine-industry bottlenecks that have drawn fire
from airlines.
The world’s largest engine maker by number of units sold
said the effort by co-owners GE Aerospace and France’s
Safran would also accelerate repairs,help suppliers
improve deliveries and beef up spares inventory.
Unexpected wear and tear in the most recent jet engines – an
unplanned by-product of their significant fuel savings – has led
to an industry-wide repair crisis and left jets grounded.
CFM President Gael Meheust declined to be drawn on an engine
industry dispute with airlines over prices, saying it was
important to consider all relevant costs and engine performance.
CFM, which makes engines for the Boeing 737 MAX and competes
with Pratt & Whitney on the Airbus A320neo, said it had a
“near-zero” level of engine-driven groundings. Pratt has
reported steady improvement in maintenance delays and production
issues.
AIRLINE REPAIR SHOPS
CFM’s aftermarket investment comes as engine makers are
expected to battle for new business at next week’s Farnborough
Airshow, vying for attention with relatively muted plane orders.
India’s largest carrier IndiGo could pick CFM’s LEAP to
power 500 previously ordered Airbus jets, industry sources said.
The deal is likely to include its own maintenance, repair
and overhaul (MRO) shop, echoing Ireland’s Ryanair.
CFM declined to comment and IndiGo could not be reached.
However, there were no immediate signs of a breakthrough in
talks between CFM and Turkish Airlines (THY) that
overshadow a deal for 150 Boeing 737 MAX jets announced by
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington in September.
The airline said then that the MAX order, part of a wider
package of 225 jets, would be subject to engine negotiations.
Industry sources said the airline wanted under any deal to
penetrate the top rung in CFM’s tiered support network by
becoming a so-called Premier MRO, joining a small group of
carriers that enjoy enhanced access to repair technology.
CFM declined to comment. Turkish Airlines did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.
CFM also said it had won approval for an upgrade that would
improve durability of LEAP-1B engines for the MAX in harsh
climates, echoing a fix already available for Airbus.
It reiterated a goal of 15% higher deliveries this year.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Andrea
Ricci)
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