Lufthansa Technik recently performed the first major connectivity modifications on Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft of an undisclosed customer. The aircraft were modified at Lufthansa Technik Budapest.
The airline customer is currently enlarging its all-Boeing 737 fleet with the newest member of this aircraft family and was looking for a partner to equip the fleet with a state-of-the-art connectivity solution. Lufthansa Technik Budapest was the location of choice to accomplish the layovers within a short and reliable time frame. Over the recent years, the narrowbody base maintenance and modification experts in Budapest have performed this modification many times on Boeing 737 NG aircraft.
During the five-day layovers, several specialized teams were in place to accomplish the modification work. A structures team reinforces the affected skin area to facilitate the installation of the Satellite Antenna Assembly (SAA) and GSM antenna as well as the covering radome. The avionics team installs the cabling, hardware and software of the related connectivity system in the aircraft cabin. Other mechanics provide the necessary access to the cockpit and passenger compartment interior and reinstall all equipment once all work has been finished.
Dietmar Focke, CEO of Lufthansa Technik Budapest, says: “The recent events demonstrate our competence for modification work on the Boeing 737 MAX 8. But this is only the first step. We are currently expanding our services to full base maintenance capabilities for this aircraft type to support operators from scheduled maintenance to aircraft modification all the way to major overhaul events.”
Maintenance capability extensions for the 737 MAX at further locations in the Lufthansa Technik network are planned. Lufthansa Technik already offers an extensive range of globally available products and services for the various Boeing 737 types. The spare parts warehouses for the Boeing 737 of the Classic and popular Next Generation versions have been expanded for the 737 MAX to support operators of this aircraft type with component services. And as one of the first MRO providers to support customers as early as in the initial phase of their LEAP engine operations, preparations for the introduction of the LEAP-1B engine are underway with the first shop visit expected in 2019.
