The CFM56 has been an engine family so seemingly ubiquitous in aircraft propulsion that its successor, the LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) family, still feels like it's in its infancy. Yet it is almost 13 years since the programme was launched - and this year the LEAP-1A will celebrate five years in service, on 2 August. Also this year, the LEAP family's operational presence in the market - on the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX - is scheduled to be expanded by the introduction into service of the Comae C919. And, of course, 737 MAX aircraft - powered by the LEAP-1B - are once again being delivered to operators following the aircraft's grounding. While these new aircraft join the global fleet, there will also be significant numbers of LEAP-powered A320neos and older 737 MAXs coming out of pandemic-driven storage and returning to service, which is bound to have an effect on the amount of LEAP maintenance work when compared with what might be considered a 'regular' level of maintenance. Lufthansa Technik's senior vice-president of engine services Dietmar Fokke confirms that for these aircraft, in particular the 737 MAX and the LEAP-1B engines, the return to service requires specific maintenance tasks to be performed.
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