The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in conjunction with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), has granted certification for the newly updated high-pressure turbine (HPT) hardware durability kit intended for the CFM LEAP-1A engines that are utilized in the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft.
This durability kit aims to enhance the operational lifespan of the engines, particularly in extreme heat and challenging conditions, and comprises the HPT stage 1 blade, HPT stage 1 nozzle, and forward inner nozzle support.
To guarantee that the enhancements would effectively tackle durability issues in extreme conditions, CFM collaborated with a group of geologists to create dust that simulated the conditions faced by engines in various global environments. By employing a proprietary dust ingestion system, the company successfully replicated the wear on HPT blades that operators were observing in real-world applications. This cutting-edge system enabled CFM to design, test, and validate enhancements aimed at improving the durability and operational lifespan of these components.
