GLOBAL ENGINE STAND REFURBISHMENT SERVICE & INSPECTION AGREEMENT FOR ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINE STANDS
The aerospace industry is booming. A total of 46,460 aircraft worth $ 3.1 trillion are forecast to be delivered between 2018 and 2037. This implies that the amount of engines sold will also increase rapidly. The engine of an airplane is one of the most critical and valuable parts, which is why it is so important to guarantee a safe and protected delivery from A to B. The delivery of an engine goes hand in hand with 100% functional engine transportation stands.
There are over 800 Rolls-Royce owned engine transportation stands in use worldwide
Engine transportation stands are used in various scenarios. For storing replacement engines, for transporting by air or sea between locations, for delivery to the final assembly lines of aircraft or even just for transporting within a maintenance hangar. There are over 800 Rolls-Royce owned engine transportation stands in use worldwide. Every engine transportation stand has a service life of up to 25 years. During this time, it is sometimes subjected to harsh conditions depending on the location. Rain, snow, wind and high humidity can all have a detrimental effect have very bad effects on the engine stand.
Figure: Engine transportation stand before ESR services have been applied
Engine stand refurbishment to ensure safe engine handling
Engine stands transport items that are worth millions. They must operate perfectly whenever they are used. For this reason, engine stands need an annual service. During this service, HYDRO checks the operation of the engine stand and inspects it for possible damage. Any rust spots, missing parts or even dents will be noted. A full assessment of the current state will be carried out. Then the engine stand undergoes a proof load test if required. Depending on the state of the transportation stand, repairs may be needed or even a comprehensive refurbishment. The manufacturer issues service bulletins if modifications or inspections are needed at intervals of less than one year. After all major repairs the engine stand undergoes a proof load test.
The engine transportation stand conditioning is key to the successful delivery of Rolls-Royce engines worldwide.
Supplier contract signed with Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce has contracted with HYDRO to provide comprehensive servicing of its engine transportation stands for the next 5 years. Since 2013 HYDRO has been servicing individual engine stands and has proved its performance to Rolls-Royce.
It started with service locations in Castle Donington (UK), Singapore and Hong Kong. Additional locations are coming in Dubai, Germany and the USA. This ensures short trips and low transportation costs for customers worldwide.
Figure: Any rust spots, missing parts or even dents will be noted.
On-site service or service at an approved service center?
Not every engine stand needs comprehensive servicing. We recommend performing the annual inspection directly on-site in the hangar or the warehouse. Heavy maintenance or wider-ranging repairs, on the other hand, must be performed in a HYDRO Service Center certified for engine stand refurbishment. Statistically, 50% of the activities can be performed at the customer's site and 50% of the engine stands are sent to a service center worldwide.
„I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal thanks and that of Virgin Atlantic, for an excellent professional piece of work that was carried out recently on one of our Trent 1000 Basic Engine Stands. The challenges of the very tight time frame, the complexity of the task in hand and the organisation of the logistics, showed that your ability to respond to our requirements, was exceptional.
The professionalism and speed of the repair ensured that Virgin Atlantic did not encounter any delays to our Engine change programme.
I would also like to express my gratitude for all of the excellent work that you carry out for us. Your experience, product knowledge, and competence is an example of a truly efficiently well run and managed company.“
Senior Planner Tooling & GSE, Virgin Atlantic Airways
Figure: Engine transportation stand freshly out of the paintshop
Full refurbishment to ensure a service life of more than 25 years
Depending on the scope of the work, an inspection at the customer's site takes one day, while heavy maintenance in a service center lasts about one week and a full refurbishment needs up to 2 months. With a full refurbishment, entire components such as trunnions or pallets are replaced, weld seams are checked and renovated, a new coat of paint is provided and, of course, a new proof load test performed at the end. This will help the engine stand to achieve a service life exceeding 25 years.
HYDRO is also expanding their engine stand refurbishment services into aftermarket customers. Customers including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways already trust in HYDRO's Engine Stand Refurbishment program to keep their engine transportation stands in good shape for years to come.
Interested in our Engine Stand Refurbishment services? Contact your local Area Sales Manager