Honeywell opens maintenance center for next-generation T55 Chinook engine

By Jaspreet Gill / July 16, 2020 at 10:37 AM

Honeywell has opened a new maintenance center near its headquarters in Phoenix, AZ, for the next-generation T55 helicopter engine after securing approval from the Army, the company announced today.

The T55 Repair and Overhaul Center of Excellence will align the repair and overhaul activities for the engine with new engine production, Honeywell said in a press release.

"This move creates a larger pool of Honeywell's highly trained technicians who can share their knowledge to improve repair and overhaul turn times," the release states. "Having these technicians co-located with the engineering team also allows for enhanced troubleshooting and direct feedback to help inform future product upgrades."

Honeywell has also launched a new supplier improvement initiative "to ensure on-time delivery of materials to support the expanded capacity," according to the release.

The Army in June chose Honeywell to fly its T55 engine on a CH-47F Chinook for a demonstration at Ft. Eustis, VA.

The new engine is 25% more powerful and consumes 10% less than the current T55 engine, the company said in a June 4 release. New modifications make the upgraded engine easier to maintain with increased readiness and lower operating costs.

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