Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

MTU Maintenance emerged from what might have proved a disastrous 2020 with only a “black eye,” as the company saw just an 18 percent decline in business last year compared with the 45 percent most forecasters expected, the Munich-based company reported Thursday. The company attributed its relative success to what it called a “multi-pronged aftermarket strategy” of OEM network participation, joint ventures with airlines such as China Southern, and a broad portfolio across multiple business segments. It also credited its broad portfolio of 30 engine types, including the newly added CFM Leap and several other engines in the narrowbody segment, which industry authorities expect to recover much faster than the widebody market. MTU’s customer base also includes cargo operators, which largely weathered the Covid crisis unscathed.

 


“In fact, we even saw campaign wins of $5.5 billion, the second-highest in MTU Maintenance history,” said MTU Aero Engines chief program officer Michael Schreyögg. “This is proof that customers trust in us, our financial strength, and intelligent solutions in critical times. Our engine expertise and ability to get the most out of an engine at minimum cost is highly valuable to both airlines and lessors both now and in time when our industry recovers.”

 


Campaign wins included more than 300 new engine MRO contracts and 56 customers sending new engine types to MTU’s facilities. The CFM56 engine family accounted for a third of those customers, reported MTU Aero Engines v-p of MRO programs Martin Friis-Petersen. “In turn, we are confident in this program and are even adding a CFM56-7B line to our facility in Berlin to ensure fast response and high flexibility for our customers,” he said.

 


MTU’s organic growth strategy for its maintenance arm will require continued investments in the EME Aero joint venture with Lufthansa Technik in Poland and expansion at its sites in Berlin-Brandenburg and Hannover in Germany. It also plans to move to a new facility in Vancouver, Canada; build a second facility at MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, China; and open a new greenfield repair facility called MTU Maintenance Serbia.&nbsp;

 


“Due to the crisis, we’ve been noticing a trend towards smaller and customized workscopes&nbsp;and on-site fixes,” explained Friis-Petersen. “Our on-site service team saw 25 percent more events than we had been anticipating for 2020. This reflects not only the cost focus of operators but also the trend toward on-wing repairs for newer engines.”

 


MTU Maintenance’s repair service team gained 26 new customers for specific repair services in 2020 and increased the number of engine teardowns by over 50 percent compared with the previous year. Such teardowns allow access to used serviceable material, which will continue to reduce the cost of shop visits for customers in coming years, said the company.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

MTU Maintenance Weathers 2020 Largely Unscathed

The MRO arm of MTU Aero Engines saw the number of incoming engines decline only 18 percent compared with 2019.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

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News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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