In an effort to bring down costs and downtime, MRO provider Duncan Aviation has invested in the tooling, equipment, and training to bring Honeywell HTF7000 series engine turbine blade changes and balancing capabilities in-house. Among its equipment investments are a new Schenck V2L/CAB925 vertical balancing machine that is accurate to 30 millionths of an inch, which Duncan said is critical for engines to be in the best-balanced condition possible when reassembled.

Duncan also has the capabilities to perform video boroscope inspections and all repairs on the engine’s LPT module assembly, including deblade, reblade, and balance of individual LPT disks. These new capabilities will cut downtime to 21 days.

“Having this capability in-house reduces shipping costs, potential damage to the module, and miscommunication,” Duncan engine tech rep Shawn Schmitz said. “We have better control of the entire engine event.” The HTF7000 is found on the Bombardier Challenger 300 and 350, Gulfstream G280, Embraer Legacy 450/500 and Praetor 500/600, as well as the recently certified Cessna Citation Longitude.