Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and following the permanent halt in the production of the Airbus A380 aircraft, many airlines decided to ground or retire the giant double-decker aircraft from their fleet. However, last year many carriers surprisingly announced plans to reactivate their A380s as passenger demand increased and extra capacity was sought.
According to Aviation Week’s 2023 Fleet & MRO Forecast, around 55 aircraft are expected to return from storage over the next two years. Hence, demand for the Engine Alliance-manufactured GP7000—a joint venture between GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney—and Rolls-Royce-manufactured Trent 900 engine types is expected to surge.
Aviation Week’s data shows that the number of Trent 900 engines currently in service stands at approximately 292, while there are around 264 GP7000 engines actively powering the aircraft.
Looking ahead, the data indicates a significant surge in GP7000 engines entering into service over the next two years, with approximately 16 engines in 2023 and 140 engines returning from storage in 2024.
Additionally, there will not be a significant increase in Trent 900 engine retirements. Aviation Week’s data shows that around 16 Trent 900 engines are set to retire over the next decade. Meanwhile, approximately 84 engines will be retiring from the GP7000 engine family over the next 10 years.
It is forecast that over the next decade, the Trent 900 engine type will see a total of 548 shop visits related to engine overhaul and 16 visits related to engine life-limited parts (LLP) services. The GP7000 engine type will see 640 shop visits related to engine overhaul.
The data below illustrates that Trent 900 engines will see an average of around 1,150,508 hr. this year, which is expected to increase over the next decade. Meanwhile, GP7000 engines will see an average of around 1,710,708 hr. this year, which is expected to increase for the next two years. Beyond that, the data shows that there will be a gradual decline in engine hours.
Source: Aviation Week Intelligence Network Commercial Aviation 2023 Fleet & MRO Forecast
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