StandardAero, GMF Form Engine MRO Partnership

StandardAero has agreed with Indonesia-based GMF AeroAsia to form a partnership for services on CFM International CFM56-7B engines.

The MOU will see both companies combine capabilities and cover operators in Indonesia and the wider Asia-Pacific region and will initially focus on performing on-wing maintenance on the engine platform, used to power Boeing 737NG aircraft.

Aviation Week’s Commercial Fleet & MRO Forecast projects a strong aftermarket for the engine type. According to forecast data, more than 4,700 737NG aircraft are currently in service in the Asia-Pacific region.

Both parties are well established in the CFM56-7B aftermarket. StandardAero has provided a full range of engine services, including engine exchanges, from its facility in Winnipeg, Canada, since 2010. In addition, the MRO provider has undertaken CFM56-7B maintenance services from its facility close to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where it said demand is strong from 737NG operators.

The company expanded its footprint in Texas in 2023 by opening a dedicated hospital shop and engine test capabilities, with services including borescope inspections, boroblend repairs, engine module changes and QEC/LRU removal/installation, along with fan, top case, bottom case, hot section and LPT repairs.

In Indonesia alone, StandardAero says it supports more than 40 different operators and service providers. Regionally, it holds a presence in Singapore, where it operates a facility servicing turboprop engines.

GMF AeroAsia, which operates its main facility in Jakarta, had previously stated its intentions to develop its engine aftermarket services further. GMF’s CEO Andi Fahrurrozi told Aviation Week in 2023 that it was looking at legacy engines in the widebody market, such as powerplants for 747, 777 and Airbus A330, while also focusing on new technology engines for the likes of the A350 and 787.

Speaking this week at the unveiling of the MoU, Fahrurrozi said the partnership with StandardAero “paves the way for GMF to strengthen its presence in engine maintenance and create lasting value for the aviation industry.”

GMF’s existing CFM56 capabilities are comprised of full capability on all of its engine variants, including test capacity of up to 100,000 lb. of thrust.