Lufthansa Technik and its subsidiary in the Philippines have inked new engine and airframe maintenance contracts with two carriers in Asia-Pacific, low-cost AirAsia X and Australian airline Virgin Blue.

Eight AirAsia X A330s and A340s will go to Lufthansa Technik Philippines in Manila for maintenance over the next three years, starting in March. Work covered under the contract includes four C checks and a heavy maintenance check during the first year, plus several cabin retrofit projects.

Lufthansa Technik’s Melbourne, Australia, subsidiary LTQ Engineering will do CFM56-7B repairs for Virgin Blue under another three-year agreement. The British Virgin Group carrier and its Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue subsidiaries operate 60 Boeing 737NGs powered by the engines, which typically require inspections after 24,000 flight hours. But their variable stator vane bushings tend to show signs of wear at between 16,000 and 20,000 operating hours, Lufthansa Technik says. To maximize performance and time on-wing, its airline support teams will handle the VSV bushing replacements in Melbourne.

Brian Sharp, Virgin Blue’s general manager of engineering and maintenance operations, says this should cut turnaround times and alleviate the burden on the airline’s spare engine program.

Virgin Blue also contracts out landing gear overhaul and exchange for its 737NG fleet to Lufthansa Technik.

Photo credit: Lufthansa Technik