2 weeks ago
GE Aerospace AI Cuts Aircraft Engine Maintenance Turnaround Times
GE Aerospace makes engines for airplanes, and it now uses smart computers called artificial intelligence to take care of them.
A team in Bengaluru, India, is helping build these smart tools.
The tools look at engine pictures and check if parts are okay much faster than before.
Because of this, fixing and servicing engines takes at least five days less time.
The company can also order spare parts before an engine even arrives at the repair shop.
One special tool, called the Blade Inspection Tool, cuts the time to check turbine blades in half for GEnx engines.
Airlines in India use more than 1,300 of these engines, and over 3,000 more are on order.
The Bengaluru team has also helped design engines like the CFM LEAP, GEnx, and GE9X.
Their work keeps planes flying longer and makes maintenance easier for airlines around the world.
GE Aerospace is using artificial intelligence to enhance aircraft engine inspection, analytics, and maintenance.
AI-enabled forecasting has reduced engine work turnaround times by at least five days.
Engineers at the John F Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) in Bengaluru are central to these AI advancements.
The AI-enabled Blade Inspection Tool (BIT) cuts turbine blade inspection times by about 50% for GEnx engines.
Indian airlines operate over 1,300 GE and CFM engines, with more than 3,000 engines on order.
- Who
- GE Aerospace engineers at the John F Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC) in Bengaluru, including executives Shilpa Gupta and Gurram V Rao
- What
- AI-enabled inspection, analytics, and maintenance technologies that reduce aircraft engine turnaround time and improve durability
- Where
- Bengaluru, India; technologies applied to global aircraft fleets
- When
- Announced at a briefing at JFWTC on Tuesday; JFWTC will complete 26 years in September
- Why
- To compress engine maintenance turnaround times, improve supply chain efficiency through predictive parts ordering, and enhance engine reliability and time on wing
Key facts
- Company
- GE Aerospace
- Key facility
- John F Welch Technology Centre (JFWTC), Bengaluru, India
- Turnaround time reduction
- At least 5 days
- Inspection time reduction
- About 50% for GEnx engines using the Blade Inspection Tool (BIT)
- Engines powering Indian airlines
- More than 1,300 GE and CFM engines
- Engines on order
- More than 3,000, including over 1,000 LEAP-1A engines for IndiGo from CFM
- Aviation technology patents
- Over 1,000 held by the Bengaluru team
- Engine programs supported
- CFM LEAP, GEnx, and GE9X
Quotes
Shilpa Gupta
Chief Technology Officer, GE Aerospace in India
“We are keeping track of how operators (airlines) are working... and we are able to (place) orders for (parts) before an engine comes to an MRO facility... by the time engine comes in, those parts are ready. That is how we compress the turnaround time”
rediff.com
“Bengaluru engineers are making an important impact across the engine lifecycle, from improving reliability, durability and time on wing for the fleet flying today to advancing technologies to make the future of flight more efficient”
rediff.com
Gurram V Rao
Executive Section Leader, Services Engineering & Engineering Material Systems at GE Aerospace Bengaluru centre
“AI is a big enabler”
rediff.com
Sources
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