n a busy workshop in Lingang, Pudong, Shanghai, colossal aircraft engines—each tipping the scales at over three tons—glide steadily along a production line, moving from arrival to repair to departure in a seamless rhythm.
Imagine stepping into a bustling workshop in Lingang, Pudong, where colossal aircraft engines—each weighing over three tons—glide along a production line with the precision of a well-choreographed dance. They arrive, are disassembled, repaired, and reassembled, then depart, all in a steady, uninterrupted flow. This isn’t a futuristic vision; it’s the daily reality at GE Aerospace’s On Wing Support (OWS) quick-turn facility in Shanghai, where a revolutionary shift has turned stagnation into motion. The secret? FLIGHT DECK, GE’s proprietary lean operating model, which has redefined how engine maintenance gets done.
Launched in July 2023, the Shanghai OWS site is more than just GE Aerospace’s seventh global quick-turn hub—it’s a trailblazer, marking the first facility of its kind in China’s civil aviation industry. Tasked with servicing CFM LEAP-1A/1B and CFM56-5B/7B engines (manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines), it caters to airlines across China and Asia, handling critical repairs for modules like fans, compressors, combustion chambers, and high- and low-pressure turbines. From day one, the goal was clear: deliver rapid, reliable maintenance. But early on, tradition stood in the way.
Under traditional maintenance methods, engines were treated like cars in a dealership service bay—parked at fixed workstations for the entire repair process. The routine followed three steps: disassembly, module repair/replacement, and reassembly, with an average turnaround time (TAT) of 95 days. But when supply chains hit snags—especially delays in shipping core components overseas for repairs and back—this timeline unraveled.
“Suddenly, TAT jumped by 47%,” explains Wang Tao, the Shanghai OWS site leader. “Engines would sit at their stations for weeks, waiting for parts from overseas. Technicians were stuck monitoring idle engines, tools were tied up, and new engines couldn’t enter the shop because there was no space. It was like a hospital with beds occupied by patients waiting for medicine—no one could move in or out.” By Q1 2025, a backlog of LEAP engines had formed, and the team missed its delivery targets. Airlines grew anxious, and the pressure to rethink the process mounted.
The turning point came from a bold idea: Why not borrow from assembly lines and make engines move? Proposed by Farah Borges, Vice President of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul, and backed by Global OWS Leader Alexander Henderson, the plan replaced fixed stations with a “flow line,” where engines progress through distinct stages—disassembly, module repair, reassembly—like a relay race.
To tackle the biggest bottleneck—the wait for overseas parts—the team turned to heijunka, a lean concept focused on balancing workflow. They added 10 sets of storage tooling for core modules and low-pressure turbines (LPT), creating a “buffer zone” where disassembled engines could wait for parts without clogging the line.
Crucially, these stands were designed and built locally in China. “We matched the quality of imported tools but cut delivery time by 75% and costs by 67%,” Wang notes. “That’s a double win—faster setup and lower expenses, both of which help us get engines back to customers sooner.”
The flow line didn’t just change how engines move—it redefined how the team works. Technicians, once responsible for overseeing every step of a repair, now specialize in specific phases: some master disassembly, others excel at module repair, and a dedicated group handles reassembly. This focus boosted expertise and speed.
“People are more engaged because they’re deepening their skills in one area,” Wang says. “And with fewer bottlenecks, we’ve freed up resources to enhance customer support—like field service teams that can respond faster to airlines’ needs. We’re even planning to bring in new talent to build a more structured career path here.”
The impact of FLIGHT DECK was immediate. TAT improved by nearly 40%, and deliveries skyrocketed from 1 engine in Q1 2025 to 9 in Q2. But the team isn’t hitting pause. They’re now refining sub-zones within each phase to eliminate backtracking—for example, ensuring disassembly tools are positioned closer to the next stage—and updating daily visual management boards to track progress in real time.
“FLIGHT DECK is about more than processes; it’s a mindset,” Wang emphasizes. “It’s about asking, ‘How can we do this better?’ every day.” The success is spreading: Cincinnati’s OWS facility will soon adopt the Shanghai model, and Wang is set to advise Seoul’s site on new standards.
“Engines flow smoother now, but so do our ideas,” Wang says. “This transformation is about creating value for customers, empowering our team, and, ultimately, helping get people home safely. And we’re just getting started.”
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