LATAM Airlines
AGSE-Designed & Manufactured Engine Pedestals Improve LATAM Airlines’ Line Maintenance Turnaround Time by Nearly 30%
Project Benefits
- OEM-Approved
- Improved Personnel Safety & Ergonomics
- Enhanced Engine Access & Protection
- Flexibility to Support Multiple Engine Models
- Reduction in Task Time
- Compatibility with Other AGSE Equipment
The pedestals’ robustness projects safety and engineering behind the product.”
Background
Customer Profile
LATAM Airlines Group S.A., Latin America’s largest airline company headquartered in Santiago, Chile, is the leading carrier in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru and the second-largest carrier in Columbia through its local subsidiaries. Its Airbus A319, A320neo, A321, A350, and Boeing 787 fleet also operate internationally in Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Oceania, Asia, and Europe.
Challenge
LATAM previously procured non-OEM compliant engine pedestals that risked the surrounding personnel’s and engine’s safety during line maintenance. Delays in engine MRO turnaround time due to injury or engine damage from faulty tooling could also strain the airline’s steadily expanding service. Therefore, the company needed an OEM-approved supplier to deliver quality, highly durable pedestals to optimize safe and efficient engine handling.
The AGSE Solution
LATAM was ultimately drawn toward AGSE’s user-friendly and rugged AGSE-T016 engine pedestal set, receiving its first delivery at its bustling engine shop at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Pudahuel, Chile. Designed and manufactured in-house at AGSE’s Southern California headquarters, the four-pedestal set’s superior weld, corrosion-resistant safety pins and bolts, and high-grade, Skydrol-resistant paint provide lasting engine support at an adjustable ergonomic working height. Spring-loaded ball transfers improve mobility near the engine, while base tubes accommodate forklift transport.
Most beneficial to LATAM are the pedestals’ interchangeable mounting adapters that interface with the fan case and LPT flange ground handling adapters to accommodate the various engines that power its diverse fleet. The latter adapters are compatible with AGSE engine stands, allowing seamless engine transfer between the stand and pedestals via a lifting device. In addition, forward and aft mounting adapters can support wide-body fan cases during split engine repair or storage.
The pedestals’ interchangeable ground handling adapters allow
LATAM technicians to complete numerous MRO tasks on
narrow and wide-body engines.
The AGSE Advantage
Since adopting the -T016 pedestals, LATAM saw significantly reduced labor hours to complete line maintenance tasks safely and efficiently. LRU removal and installation turnaround time improved by nearly 30% as the pedestals enhanced engine access, compared to the previous, more restrictive option of performing this task with the engine in a stand.
LATAM now leverages AGSE’s dynamic customer and technical support teams to help maximize its pedestals’ life cycle. They assist with the tooling’s operation and help preserve their OEM-approved configurations by offering OEM-approved and sourced replacement parts, which optimizes personnel and engine protection.
Lastly, the -T016’s proven flexibility and ease of use have prompted the airline to explore AGSE-designed and manufactured pedestals and accessories supporting engines beyond its CF6, CFM56, and V2500 models. “The pedestals’ robustness projects safety and engineering behind the product,” said Hector Becerra, LATAM’s Powerplant & Components Technical Support Engineer. “While their initial application was to safely handle several models in our current engine portfolio, there is a desire to build on their functionality as this portfolio diversifies and our operation grows.”
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