CFM LEAP and GEnx also affected by powder metal contamination

Not just Pratt & Whitney, but GE Aerospace and CFM too have been confronted with a contamination issue in powder metal that requires the replacement of engine parts. In the case of GE and CFM, the issue affects the GEnx large turbofan and the CFM LEAP. For both engines, Service Bulletins and Airworthiness Directives have been issued since June 2022. CFM LEAP and GEnx also affected by powder metal contamination.

Safran CEO Olivier Andriès confirmed the issue on the LEAP during today’s HY1 earnings call when he was asked to comment on the powder metal contamination problem

with high-pressure turbine disks in the P&W Geared Turbofan.

“I simply do not know what their (P&W) issue is and cannot comment specifically. What I can say is that on the CFM side, we detected in Summer 2021 a quality issue while inspecting rotating parts. We have completed the root-cause investigation at the time. This was resulting from the contamination of powder metal at one supplier facility for a limited number of batches.”