StandardAero announced its engine overhaul centre in San Antonio has secured maintenance organisation approval from the aviation regulatory bodies of India, Japan and the United Arab Emirates for the CFM International LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B turbofan engines. These latest approvals enable StandardAero to expand its LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities to support the needs of Airbus A320neo family and Boeing 737 MAX operators across these three countries.
StandardAero supports the LEAP-1A (Airbus A320neo) and LEAP-1B (Boeing 737 MAX) as a CFM LEAP Premier MRO provider, having signed the first non-airline CFM Branded Service Agreement (CBSA) in the Americas for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B in March 2023. The company’s 810,000 sq. ft. San Antonio facility initially began accepting LEAP quick-turn shop visits (QTSVs) in March 2024 and inducted its first performance restoration shop visit (PRSV) workscope in the second half of 2024, after completing test cell correlation for both engine variants.
India already represents the third largest market for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B, with over 800 engines now in service. Indian operators also have a further 2,400 engines on order, potentially making the nation the second most important customer for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B after the United States.
Japan is a well-established market for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B, local airlines having operated the engine family since 2020. Today there are already over 50 LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines in service with Japanese operators, with a further 100 engines on order.
The United Arab Emirates represents one of the Top 10 markets for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B, with approximately 150 engines in service and a further 600+ on order for local operators. The Middle East is already a major region of focus for StandardAero, which signed a 15-year support agreement with a major local airline earlier this year.
Commenting on the announcement, James Campbell, Vice President & General Manager, Commercial Programs – San Antonio, said: “The team here at StandardAero is delighted to expand its range of regional approvals through these latest authorisations, which now enable us to support customers in some of the most important markets for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B worldwide. We are continuing to engage with regional airworthiness authorities around the globe, and expect to add several dozen additional approvals over the coming years.”
In addition to establishing MRO capability for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B at its San Antonio facility, StandardAero is also industrialising new engine component repairs for the LEAP family through its Component Repair Services (CRS) network of locations, and its Repair Development Center of Excellence. To date, StandardAero’s CRS team has industrialised more than 300 component repairs for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B. StandardAero also continues to grow its team of LEAP technicians through its in-house Aviation Mechanic Training Program, located at its San Antonio site’s Training Academy.
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