Lufthansa Consulting: reliability of new-generation engines to improve by 2028

The reliability of GTF and LEAP engines for new-generation narrowbody jets is expected to improve by 2028, said Axel Schauenburg, Associate Partner and Head of Solution Group Flight and Technical Operations at Lufthansa Consulting, during his presentation at the MRO Central Asia 2026 conference in Tashkent on March 25.

The GTF (Geared Turbofan) family of engines powers the Airbus A320neo, A220, and Embraer E-Jet E2 families. LEAP engines are utilized on the A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX airliners.

Engine manufacturers—the US Pratt & Whitney and the French-American joint venture CFM International—should have resolved the “teething problems” of their respective powerplants by that time, Lufthansa Consulting expects. Pratt & Whitney is set to finalize upgrades to the hot section of its GTF Advantage engine, while CFM International will improve the reliability of the high-pressure turbine and complete the reverse bleed system rollout for LEAP engines.

Additionally, manufacturers are expected to expand their engine maintenance capacity by 50–60%, which will reduce both actual turnaround times (TAT) and maintenance backlogs. Currently, new-generation engines spend more than 150 days in maintenance—twice as long as previous-generation powerplants.

This situation has led to the grounding of over 860 aircraft worldwide. The majority of these are 630 A320neo units powered by GTF engines (representing 36% of that specific fleet). The situation is notably better for LEAP-powered aircraft, with approximately 150 A320neo (5% of the fleet) and 80 Boeing 737 MAX (4% of the fleet) currently out of service.

According to Schauenburg, GTF and LEAP operators in Central Asia are in a more favorable position compared to Middle Eastern carriers, where engines require more frequent maintenance due to sand ingestion. However, dust from coal ovens remains a negative environmental factor for these engines within the Central Asian region.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: Ground time for aircraft with PW1000G and Leap-1 engines decreases for the second consecutive month.