In 2022, Iberia Maintenance consolidated its position as one of the centres of excellence for V2500 engines, due to the establishment of various new partnerships with amongst others Qatar Airways and HK Express. The V2500 represents more than 50% of the inducted engines by the company.
The CFM56 is the second product with a share of one-third of the total number of repaired engines. Apart from the CFM56-5B, where Iberia Maintenance cements its position as the preferred provider for all IAG airlines using this type of engine, services are provided to various CFM56-7B operators and asset managers. In 2022, Iberia Maintenace inked an agreement with RwandAir for the maintenance and repair of its 7B & 7BE engines, powering the airline's Boeing 737 fleet.
The V2500s and CFM56-7Bs power A320 family aircraft and Boeing 737s and these new contracts have increased the total number of engines induced by 14 per cent compared to 2021 levels, and have consolidated Iberia Maintennace's engine shop as a reference centre for this short and medium-haul fleet.
Additionally, Iberia Maintenance still serves the RB211-535 engine; being one of the very few Engine Shops in the world with this capabilty.
Narrow-body, transitioning to newer engine models
The narrow-body engine MRO market is gradually transitioning from models like the CFM and V2500 to newer ones like the GTF and LEAP.
With the aim of guaranteeing a stable workload for the future, Iberia Maintenance has started to adapt to the needs of the Shop for the new engine models while continuing to serve the CFM and V2500 operators' needs. To this end, Iberia Maintenance has made a multi-million euro investment to acquire tooling and machinery.
In October 2022, Iberia Maintenance obtained the license to service Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines, which power the Airbus A320neo family. The first GTF will arrive in the second half of 2023.
“The aeronautical maintenance sector is at a turning point and companies have to adapt to it. We have to be able to respond to the current demands of our customers while preparing for the future and that is what we are doing at Iberia Maintenance. In this way, a stable workload is guaranteed for the future.”, explained Eylo Gonzalez, Engine Shop Director at Iberia Maintenance
