GE Aerospace Offloads Aviation Engine MRO Work to United Aerospace Maintenance

GE Aerospace signed a maintenance, repair, and offload (MRO) offload agreement with the Cyprus-based United Aerospace Maintenance Co. (UAMCO). The contract will quicken the work scopes for CFM LEAP engines and allow GE Aerospace to satisfy its MRO capacity and open ecosystem obligations for CFM. The ecosystem includes:

• CFM internal capacity delivered by GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines
• External capacity from Premier MRO workshops
• External capacity from competing third-party MRO providers

“UAMCO offers a set of MRO capabilities and capacity,” said Tom Levin, Vice President of CFM Commercial Programs at GE Aerospace. “We depend on strategically located providers like UAMCO to help us meet unprecedented demand for LEAP engines, decrease turnaround time, and maintain the highest standards of safety and quality.”

Offload Background

Headquartered in Larnaca, Cyprus, UAMCO obtained EASA approval for quick-turn maintenance for LEAP-1A engines installed on Airbus A320neo fleets. The company also received MRO approval for LEAP-1B engines equipped on Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. UAMCO will fulfill the engine maintenance requirements of customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Currently, the company is partnered with GE Aerospace On-Wing Support to perform on-wing and near-wing retrofits for the updated reverse bleed system in LEAP-1A engines. UAMCO employs two teams that can perform installations globally.

CFM LEAP 1-A aircraft engine; image credit: GE Aerospace

About the CFM LEAP

GE Aerospace’s CFM LEAP engine portfolio delivers 15% improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions over CFM56 engines—operators record up to 20% savings compared to earlier aircraft. The LEAP engine surpassed 60 million flight hours in eight years and, with over 3,500 LEAP-equipped aircraft in service, CFM customers avoided more than 35 million tons of CO₂ emissions.

“This agreement validates our commitment to safety, quality, technology, and to a spirit of cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States,” said John Savvides, Chief Executive Officer at UAMCO. “CFM LEAP engines power the world’s most popular passenger aircraft, and we look forward to working with GE Aerospace on the maintenance of these engines.”

GE Aerospace News

Last week, GE Aerospace and Waygate Technologies, a subsidiary of Baker Hughes, developed an AI-assisted borescope inspection model for commercial engines. The companies focused on using AI to enhance machine vision-based assisted defect recognition (ADR). They targeted high-pressure compressor inspections because they are among the most important and time-consuming MRO tasks.

The AI-assisted features will improve the inspection workflow and deliver greater reliability by reducing the learning curve for new inspectors and helping current inspectors identify previously difficult-to-detect defects. Users are expected to see an increased detection probability and a reduction in inspection-related mental fatigue. In addition to improvements over the Gas Power-assist ADR model, the automated data anonymization tool enables the protection of sensitive partner data and allows it to be added to the training dataset.

In late October, GE Aerospace announced that it will invest over $130 million in its MRO and component repair facilities in Europe. The planned investment, part of the company’s $1 billion MRO spending surge approved in early 2024. The company aims to meet the increasing demand for services between GE Aerospace and CFM1 installed base. These funds will support engine test cells, new equipment, and new technology such as AI-powered enhanced inspection techniques. The AI enhancements will reduce turnaround times and expand component repair capability.