Having recently started providing technical services for the first of Lufthansa’s Airbus A380’s, Lufthansa Technik AG is also stepping up its preparations in anticipation of the advent of the new Boeing 787 and 747-8 aircraft types. For over 50 years the world’s biggest provider of technical services covering every aspect of the aircraft has collaborated on the development of new maintenance and repair procedures by the big manufacturers and supported airline customers with the introduction of new aircraft types to scheduled services.

For the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, firm orders of which currently number over 800, the Hamburg-based specialists have begun planning and building up equipment and component support to meet customers’ future needs. Drawing on experience gained from looking after 2,000 commercial aircraft, Lufthansa Technik is developing a service concept specific to this aircraft that will extend from the supply of spare parts worldwide and at short notice to the maintenance and repair of materials and systems, some of which are new to aviation. Thus the company has already invested in sophisticated test procedures and test facilities to enable it, for example, to maintain hydraulic systems that operate under very high pressure.

As with all the other aircraft types, Lufthansa Technik will be able to offer its customers high regional availability at a competitive price. With a high proportion of repairs carried out in-house at Lufthansa Technik, a tight supply chain through to the complete integration of material support at the customer’s site (Total Material Operations, TMO®), there will be cost advantages for fleets of every size.

In the case of the Boeing 747-8, Lufthansa Technik has been closely involved in the development of the maintenance program at the manufacturer’s, made an important contribution towards further development or improvement of onboard systems and prepared itself to provide technical support for the new widebody aircraft. This has entailed procurement of the necessary production resources and special tools as well as the development of support concepts. In addition to maintenance and engineering services, Lufthansa Technik will also offer integrated Total Technical Support for the newest member of the 747 family.

And the range of services to be offered for the Boeing 787 and 747-8 does not stop here. The company’s Maintenance Management Services specialists continually work on optimization of the maintenance programs. The Hamburg-based engineers also have many years’ experience of monitoring and overseeing the aircraft production on behalf of airline customers.

Finally, Lufthansa Technik also has extensive know-how in the handling of composite materials which, particularly on the Boeing 787, will be used on a wide scale. The Airframe Related Component Services (ARC®) division will be prepared for the entry into service of the new and technically sophisticated aircraft type, with appropriate test and repair procedures.

Source: Lufthansa Technik
Photo: Boeing