Rapid GEnx engine support operation highlights growing regional MRO capability

A South Korea-based GE Aerospace On Wing Support (OWS) team has been recognised by Nippon Cargo Airlines following a rapid-response maintenance operation involving a Boeing 747-8 freighter at Tokyo Narita International Airport.

The operation involved the replacement of a fuel manifold on a GEnx engine powering one of the airline’s Boeing 747-8F aircraft.

The Korean OWS team was deployed from GE Aerospace’s facility near Seoul after Nippon Cargo Airlines requested urgent technical support to return the aircraft to service.

Complex off-wing maintenance operation

The maintenance task required the removal and replacement of the engine fuel manifold — a component responsible for distributing fuel to the engine nozzles.

Under Japanese regulatory requirements, the repair had to be conducted off-wing, requiring the complete removal of the 5.6-ton engine from the aircraft before maintenance work could begin.

The Korean team also had to adapt to unfamiliar lifting equipment at Narita Airport while working within a compressed operational timeframe to minimise disruption to cargo operations.

According to the report, the combined GE Aerospace and Nippon Cargo Airlines engineering teams completed the engine removal, component replacement, and subsequent return-to-service process within approximately one week.

Nippon Cargo Airlines later presented the team with a commemorative plaque recognising the successful operation.

Regional support capability expansion

Hideaki Kurita, Executive Officer and Head of Engineering and Maintenance Group at Nippon Cargo Airlines, said the airline regarded GE Aerospace’s OWS team as a trusted operational partner supporting fleet reliability at Narita.

The Korean OWS facility has expanded significantly since opening in 2000 and now supports approximately 130 airlines across Asia and Oceania.

The operation is part of GE Aerospace’s broader maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) investment strategy across the Asia-Pacific region.

The company stated that it invested US$75 million in Asia-Pacific MRO facilities during 2025, following an additional US$45 million investment the previous year as part of a wider US$1 billion global MRO network expansion programme.

Lean operational improvements

GE Aerospace also highlighted operational improvements introduced through its FLIGHT DECK lean operating model.

According to the company, standardised tooling systems, pre-packed maintenance kits, and structured operational reviews have reduced preparation time and improved deployment efficiency for field maintenance operations.

The company said additional investments will include new equipment, employee training programmes, and workforce upskilling initiatives to support increasing demand for engine support services across the region.