FORT AKINSON, Wisc., - Aircraft engine maintenance, like most things in 2022, is not as straightforward as it used to be. The strain on the supply chain and customer trends are changing the way maintenance is being planned for and performed, Walker Jaroch reports for Aircraft Maintenance Technology. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
23 June 2022 - JD Kuti, vice president of Pinnacle Aircraft Engines, has been working on engines for over 14 years. He says things have definitely changed over the course of the past few years, and securing parts is the biggest challenge of the job, Jaroch writes.
“It has changed,” Kuti said. “Two years ago, beginning of COVID, the supply chain wasn't that bad yet. We were still able to get parts and move through everything. Over probably, I would say, the last year it's gotten worse. And the last six months has gotten even worse. It's kind of been gradually downhill.”
“We're taking the engine. We tear them down, re-certify the crank in the case, overhaul the rocker arms, rods, inspection of all the steel components in the engine, inspection of all the aluminum components. We always put new cylinders on, new pistons, overhaul the fuel system, mags, new harness, new spark plugs, and we build everything within new tolerances. Some other places may do it within service limits. The factory gives us service limits and they also give us new limits. And here at Pinnacle we do everything within new limits,” he said.
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace
