MTU Maintenance To Bolster U.S. Leap, GEnx Capabilities

MTU Maintenance plans to grow its U.S. operation by adding new capabilities for the CFM International Leap and GE Aerospace GEnx engines at its business in Texas.

The German engine specialist’s MTU Maintenance Dallas facility in Fort Worth has joined CFM International’s Premier MRO network, which—over time—will see it offer full performance restoration and extensive repair capabilities for CFM Leap 1A and 1B engines. Those engines power Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max aircraft, respectively.

The capability enhancement will expand on the businesses’ existing Leap services including on-site services such as reverse bleed system upgrades. At its shop, which includes an engine test facility with up to 100,000 lb. of thrust, MTU Maintenance Dallas has been ramping up its quick-turn engine capabilities over the past few years.

It becomes the sixth shop to join the company’s aftermarket network. In 2024, five MROs comprised of Lufthansa Technik, AFI KLM E&M, ST Engineering, StandardAero and Delta TechOps were confirmed as the inaugural Premier MRO companies.

In a statement released April 8, MTU said the facility is adding capacity to meet an increase in forecasted demand for Leap 1A and Leap 1B engine overhauls. Aviation Week has contacted MTU to ask about the timeline for the Leap ramp up.

“With this agreement, MTU Maintenance will increase the depth and scope of its service offering with full performance restoration and extensive repair capabilities for CFM Leap 1A and Leap 1B engines,” said Michael Schreyögg, member of the executive board and chief program officer at MTU Aero Engines.

“We’re forecasting CFM Leap shop visits to increase significantly by the end of this decade,” said Gaël Méheust, president and CEO for CFM International. “This is higher than our initial projections—driven in large part by the high demand for these engines.

MTU also plans to introduce full overhaul capability for GEnx engines, one of two engine options for the Boeing 787 program. As part of a long-term GE Aerospace Branded Services Agreement (GBSA), MTU Maintenance Dallas will become an authorized service provider for the GEnx, for which MTU is a 6.7% risk and revenue-sharing partner in the program. The company carries out design, manufacturing, and assembly on the turbine center frame, which it maintains at its shop in Hanover, Germany.

MTU’s Leap and GEnx announcements follow confirmation that the company will expand its overhaul capacity for Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engine, a direct rival program to the Leap.

MTU, which manufactures several parts for the GTF engine family, will expand its MRO capacity to up to 600 GTF shop visits annually across all variants of the engine.