Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline group and the largest MRO operator, has proudly inaugurated its CFM Leap-1B engine test cell at Addis Ababa MRO Services facility which gives Ethiopian the full testing capability of Leap-1B engine, an exclusive powerplant for Boeing's new-generation 737 MAX single-aisle jet.

Regarding the capacity leap, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew said, “We feel proud for achieving full testing capability for the CFM Leap-1B engine at our modern MRO facility in Addis Ababa. The addition of this state-of-the-art facility will enable us to finalize the development of Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV1) repair capability on the engine, which is expected to be ready very soon. We extend our appreciation to SAE, GE and the other partners who contributed to this success.”

The newly launched Leap-1B testing facility positions Ethiopian Airlines as the 5th facility globally outside the Safran Aero Engines (SAE) and the General Electric (GE) network, and the first in the Middle East and Africa for possessing such advanced capability. Ethiopian Airlines has planned to complete Phase 2- Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV1) project by the end of September 2024 which will also enable the airline to offer Leap-1B PRSV solutions for customers in the region and beyond.

Ethiopian owns the largest MRO Service facility in Africa. Established in 1957, Ethiopian MRO Services provides Line Maintenance services at stations where Ethiopian flies and extends the services to African and the Middle East operators. Ethiopian MRO facility is fully equipped with Hangars, Engine and Component Maintenance workshops with all equipment needed to repair/overhaul aircraft, engines and components.

Ethiopian MRO offers world-class services to its customers and helps make Ethiopian one of the most dependable and safest airlines in the world. The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and others have certified Ethiopian MRO facility.