Turkish Technic Eyes CFM Leap Shop For Istanbul

DELHI—The chairman of Turkish Technic says discussions are underway with CFM International to explore setting up a Leap engine repair shop in Istanbul.

Speaking on the sidelines of the recent International Air Transport Association’s Annual General Meeting, Turkish Technic Chairman Ahmet Bolat said the talks are being driven by the desire for Turkish Airlines to have its own reliable shop.

“Regarding engines, we cannot be fully independent anyway, because the parts will be supplied by the manufacturer,” Bolat said. “If you have the capability to repair some of the models, that’s the advantage.”

The Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows Turkish Airlines has 28 CFM International Leap-1B-powered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in service and a further 35 on order. The number of orders could rise significantly if Turkish and Boeing can agree to terms on a mooted order for 150 more 737 MAXs. Turkish has already placed a significant order with Airbus for more A320neo-family aircraft and has 205 Airbus narrowbodies on its backlog. To date, Turkish has selected the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engine to power its A320neos but has only committed to equipping 48 of those 205 with the geared turbofan (GTF), leaving the possibility that some may be given Leap-1As.

The chairman’s comments on Leap come less than a month after Turkish Technic formally joined Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare aftermarket network. The MRO will eventually service several Trent engine types from a newly built facility in Istanbul to support its own widebody powerplants and those belonging to third parties.

“In two to three months, Turkish Airlines will begin construction work [on the Trent facility] and from 2027 onward will induct the first engines,” Bolat said.

Turkish Technic’s current engine operation is located at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport, where it services CFM56 and CF6-80E1 engine types. Nearby, it also operates its Turkish Engine Center joint venture with Pratt, which focuses on International Aero Engines V2500-A5 and CFM56-7B repairs.