46 | MRO YEARBOOK 2012

ENGINE MAINTENANCE • ADVERTORIAL

IN 2010 BELAC won its first military contract to supply the US Air Force with High Pressure

Turbine (HPT) blades for aircraft engines. It was another milestone for the company, a manufacturer of Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) equipment for the engine hot section. Since it was founded in 1998, the joint venture between Chromalloy, Lufthansa Technik and United Airlines had seen growing demand from aircraft operators for its FAA-certifi ed parts.

When BELAC began delivering equipment in 2002 a few airlines in the US and Europe took delivery of the parts, which are designed and re-engineered to perform at the same or better performance levels than original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. Today BELAC has 38 customers — an operator base that includes many of the world’s largest commercial air carriers, leading MRO shops, aircraft brokers, and the US military.

Demand continues to increase worldwide, particularly in growth regions like Asia, as operators consider alternative parts when faced with replacing worn engine blades during maintenance. The driver? Fuel prices remain high and other operating costs put pressure on operators’ business models. Aircraft engines have high cost equipment — the highest operational maintenance cost next to fuel. For airlines to produce profi t they need to fi nd ways to ensure reliability, availability, maintainability, safety and performance — while examining every sourcing solution to reduce

Aircraft operators look for quality, reliability – and savings – in alternative engine componentsDespite demonstrated performance and cost savings, the debate about the use of alternative materials continues. Rob Church, director, sales & marketing at BELAC, provides a review of the company’s parts – and performance record – in a bid to help set the record straight.

High pressure turbine engine blades produced by BELAC LLC, a Chromalloy joint venture company with airlines.

MRO Yearbook 2012.indd 46 16/09/2011 13:49

MRO YEARBOOK 2012 | 47

ADVERTORIAL • ENGINE MAINTENANCE

expenses in an eff ort to produce profi t margins.

Similarly, military operators need to drive the best sourcing solutions by leveraging commercial best practices.

The alternative parts, fully FAA regulated and certified like OEM equipment, significantly cut costs associated with maintenance. While the cost of OEM engine parts typically increases fi ve or more per cent a year, savings produced by installing the alternative parts is about 35 per cent lower than OEM catalogue prices. BELAC blades also have signifi cantly higher repair yields — meaning operators can more often repair used blades rather than scrapping and buying new during maintenance.

Since BELAC began shipping blades, use of the parts has saved the aviation industry about $200m, the company estimates. That’s a cost saving of up to $10 per engine flight hour — significant even to a small fleet operator.

Despite demonstrated performance and cost savings, however, BELAC continues to face headwinds from industry observers who stoke the debate about the use of alternative materials. A review of the company’s parts — and performance record — may help set the record straight.

CERTIFIED AIRWORTHINESSWith more than 400 million flight hours on nine HPT blade product lines, BELAC is one of the few producers of alternative components for the hot section or gas path of the turbine engine. To date it has installed more than 50,000 HPT blades. To obtain FAA approval to certify the components, BELAC develops parts under the same rigorous, compliant manufacturing system and battery of quality and reliability tests and inspection processes employed by and for the OEMs. Like the OEMs and their suppliers of critical engine components, BELAC is ISO9001:2008/AS9100B:2009 qualified and offers design, tooling development, machining and inspection to customers in a fully FAA-regulated environment.

BELAC develops parts under a rigorous, compliant manufacturing system and battery of quality and reliability tests and inspection processes.

BELAC is ISO9001:2008/AS9100B:2009 qualifi ed and off ers design, tooling development, machining and inspection in a fully FAA-regulated environment.

The company employs a unique re-engineering design approach, fully utilising engineering modelling techniques to produce turbine components.

Each manufactured part conforms to FAA-approved design data, attesting to its safety for operation. The FAA provides rigorous oversight during each step of the development process, including fi nal testing and certifi cation.

BELAC blades are subject to the same engineering design and manufacturing processes and FAA scrutiny as OEM blades — and perhaps even more

stringent. When evaluations are made for BELAC equipment, it is for one part at a time — versus an OEM when evaluation is on the entire engine product.

Performance data validates the parts as a reliable alternative, with a stellar track record of safety and reliability. The data shows superior on-wing maintainability — and lower overhaul costs when removed from service and inspected. There has never been a reported removal due to problems stemming from a BELAC part.

MRO Yearbook 2012.indd 47 16/09/2011 13:49

48 | MRO YEARBOOK 2012

ENGINE MAINTENANCE • ADVERTORIAL

TOP REPAIR YIELDS In addition to proven reliability, performance and safety, BELAC blades provide other advantages. BELAC blades incorporate unique diff used precious metal / aluminide and chromide coatings that protect against hot corrosion occurring below the under platform and pocket areas of the blades.

During maintenance blade overhaul results show the parts, which are manufactured with Chromalloy advanced thermal barrier coatings, have demonstrated higher yields upon repair due to advanced corrosion resistance than OEM equipment. Chromalloy pioneered turbine engine coatings 60 years ago and today is a leading supplier to manufacturers of commercial aviation, marine and industrial aero-derivatives, light and heavy industrial gas turbine engines.

In the engine hot section or gas path, barrier coatings provide a layer of insulation to the base metal component and underlying bond coating surface of the turbine blades, protecting from the extreme heat of the combustion gases during engine operation. The resulting lower thermal conductivity allows higher engine temperatures. Coatings also provide the blades protective barriers in the engine’s highly oxidising, corrosive environment.

As a result BELAC blades average more than 93 per cent repairable vs. an industry average of 66 per cent for all HPT blades. BELAC CF6-80C2 first stage engine blade repair yields are even higher. Improved proprietary coatings developed uniquely for components in this power system provide improved corrosion resistance.

Higher repair yields mean operators can more often choose to repair blades rather than scrap and buy new, at additional savings.

FAA OVERSIGHTIn its 2009 report on the industry’s use of critical PMA equipment, the FAA provided a thorough examination of alternative materials. The agency’s Aviation Safety, Repair, Alteration and Fabrication Study (May 22, 2009, Rev. 1) concluded FAA-certifi ed PMA parts are as safe as OEM parts. The FAA stated that PMA components produced under the same development and manufacturing techniques as the OEMs are approved as the result of the same highly rigorous testing procedures and processes as OEM equipment.

In the 274-page report the FAA determined certifi ed PMA equipment to provide the same airworthiness as the original equipment.

Bilateral agreements between the FAA, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and all major airworthiness authorities provide global acceptance for PMA parts.

Further, aerospace consultant David Doll, in his paper The Airline Guide to PMA, echoed the FAA. Doll acknowledges a hotly competitive environment for replacement parts due to the lucrative aftermarket business, but contends the equipment — certifi ed, fl ight tested and widely available — benefi ts cash-strapped operators as a cost savings tool that will help them better manage their sourcing and maintenance costs. He reviewed development and certifi cation under the FAA and discussed oversight provided by manufacturers and the FAA from installation through usage. Certifi cation for PMA parts is every bit as rigorous as the process required for the OEMs, he noted.

MEETING THE CHALLENGENotwithstanding the performance, safety and reliability demonstrated for years by the BELAC alternative parts, debate in the industry continues over the use of PMA parts in the

engine. The most common barriers to acceptance continue to be concerns about global acceptance, re -marketability of the aircraft, or engine and reduced asset value.

The leasing industry, which now accounts for about 40 per cent of the global aircraft fleet, is showing signs of accepting what amounts to years of education, demonstrated performance, and experience gained through the use of PMA parts.

The outdated ideas that the use of PMA parts will make it difficult to place aircraft whose engines contain non-OEM components is being

replaced with more reliable facts — that PMA parts are equivalent to OEM parts in all aspects, including residual value. Still, the PMA community, as well as civil aviation authorities, need to do a better job of education, as some have yet to accept the FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulatory authorities’ perspective. And, eager to maintain their share of the lucrative aviation aftermarket market, OEMs discourage operators from using alternative equipment by threatening limited support — including safety basics and limiting language in licensing agreements that cover instructions for continued airworthiness maintenance manuals.

Importantly, as the quantity of PMA parts in the engine has increased, the number of service failures and Airworthiness Directives has not. Further, the FAA bilateral aviation agreement with the EASA and other authorities addresses questions about usage by foreign carriers.

In the ongoing debate about acceptance of critical alternative materials in the engine, the choice lies with the operator. Where these parts have been demonstrated to meet or exceed the performance, reliability and durability specifi cations of OEM parts, that choice will continue to defi ne a competitive, open marketplace. The need for alternatives — and choice — is likely to assure a place in the industry for PMA and alternative materials. ■

Rob Church is director, sales & marketing, for BELAC. He is responsible for commercial and military sales and new business development. Previously he was Chromalloy regional sales director for the Americas, providing leadership for the company’s sales and marketing e� orts. He joined the company in 1989.

BELAC’s knowledgeable staff is fundamental to successful metallurgical development in reengineered components.

With more than 400 million fl ight hours on its HPT blade product lines, BELAC is one of few producers of alternative components for the hot section of the turbine engine.

Coatings / Repairs / PartsLearn more at chromalloy.com

Chromalloy repairs give new life to engine components, while our coatings provide unsurpassed durability in the harshest engine conditions. By incorporating these capabilities with revolutionary engineering, machining, tooling, the world’s most advanced independent casting facility and re-engineered parts, Chromalloy extends engine life like no other company can. It’s a testament to 60 years of innovation—and it can make an impact today. Learn more at chromalloy.com.

Long live your engine.

CHRR 15446 ATEM_8.27x10.95_4C.indd 1 6/14/11 4:37 PMMRO Yearbook 2012.indd 48 16/09/2011 13:49