https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
This article is published in
Aviation Daily,
part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through
Mar 21, 2024. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click
here.
Chen Chuanren
March 14, 2024
Rendering of Korean Air’s planned Unbuk engine maintenance facility.
Credit: Korean Air
Korean Air has started construction of a new aircraft engine maintenance cluster in Unbuk, near Incheon International Airport. When completed in 2027, it will be billed as Asia’ s largest engine facility, that will more than triple KAL’s annual MRO engine capacity to 360 from 100 powerplants.
KAL’s current engine maintenance facility is at Bucheon, with an test cell in a separate facility in Unbuk. Spanning more than 140,000 m2 (1.5 million ft.2) across seven floors, the new KRW578 billion ($439 million) building will allow streamlining of the two facilities into a centralized site.
The flag carrier now can maintain the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and PW1100, CFM56 and General Electric GE90-115B. This will be expanded to include the GEnx and CFM Leap-1B.
KAL also says it is exploring the possibility of servicing Asiana Airlines’ engines, particularly the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB on its Airbus A350-900s. KAL is in the process of a merger with Asiana, which is awaiting a handful of regulatory approvals.
KAL says its new maintenance cluster is expected to generate over 1,000 new jobs, to bolster the domestic aviation MRO industry’s competitiveness and reduce dependence on international maintenance services.
