In Kloten in the canton of Zurich, SR Technics Switzerland is building expanded capacities for the maintenance, repair and operation of aircraft, further details of which can be found in a press release. Together with Safran Test Cells, a business unit of the Paris-based Safran Aero Boosters, local architects and engineers as well as Flughafen Zürich AG, SR Technics has started work on the re-activation and redesign of the second test cell for the GTF, LEAP and CFM56 aircraft engine types.
With commissioning expected for mid-2024, the compact test cell is designed to be compatible with the new generations of engines. As such, the engines can be checked in order to verify that they meet both aerodynamic and acoustic requirements.
Test Cell 2, as the redesigned version is known, will be enlarged to cover a footprint of seven by eight meters and will feature the latest data capture and instrumentation systems with a test capacity for more than 200 engines per year. According to the information in the press release, SR Technics and Safran Test Cells also designed this test cell with an eye on environmental compatibility and sustainability. Innovative technology in this area is intended to keep energy consumption as low as possible, while thermal waste heat recovery processes are also in the pipeline.
“Our goal is to double our business in the next five years”, comments Jean-Marc Lenz, Chief Executive Officer at SR Technics, in the press release. “We are building infrastructure in Zurich, opening new production facilities and increasing our workforce with around 500 people within the next few years to extend our capabilities for the maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the GTF and LEAP engines”, he adds.
