On-Wing/On-Site support services: targeted, faster and less costly operations

AFI KLM E&M deploys its expertise in the field of On-Wing/On-Site support for operators all over the world, providing rapid treatment for unserviceable engines and avoiding the long and costly groundings made necessary by shop visits. Afriqiyah Airways recently availed of these high-value solutions for a defective CFM56-5B located at Monastir, in Tunisia.

Following a borescopic inspection, the teams from AFI KLM E&M identified two defective engines being operated by Afriqiyah Airways, meaning a shop visit was on the cards. However, they observed that one of them – a replacement CFM56-5B used on the Libyan airline’s A319 or A320 aircraft – could actually be repaired locally via On-Wing/On-Site services, using a Top Case procedure.

Fast, competitive and expert support

AFI KLM E&M immediately dispatched a team of expert technicians to the site, equipped with the specific equipment needed to carry out these types of operations successfully. This ‘tactical unit’ was able to successfully complete a tailored work scope that included partial disassembly in order to access the defective section, before replacing the damaged parts (blades and high-pressure compressors on three levels). In just ten days, the engine was returned to service-ready status thanks to a lightning-fast and light-footed operation, enabling the Libyan operator to avoid the expected shop visit that would have generated an even longer grounding time, as well as significant logistics and production costs.

Just the essentials

According to Afriqiyah Airways’ CAMO Manager, Mr. Osama Elkhadar: "Our airline’s longstanding maintenance partner, AFI KLM E&M, has demonstrated the power of its On-Wing/On-Site solutions. Given its Airline-MRO profile, the Group knows and understands the operational needs of an airline, enabling it to perfect made-to-measure operations that target the essential requirements in question. In this particular instance, our engine was returned to service in just a few days without having to be moved, when it could have been out of service for weeks in the event of a shop visit – generating major savings as a result.”