TBO EXtension

Benefits of a Turbine Engine TBO Extension Versus a Traditional Engine Overhaul

Aircraft Engine & Life Extension - Time Before Overhaul

The Benefits Of Time Before Overhaul Extension

The Cost

The best reason for a TBO (time before overhaul) Extension versus an aircraft engine overhaul is the cost.

For less than half of what it would cost to overhaul the aircraft engines, you can extend the life of your aircraft engines up to 2300 hours.  Overhauls cost about $115 to $140 per flight hours and TBO about $65 per flight hour. Additionally, to get 2300 hours you would have to perform a hot section on your overhauled engine adding $50 per hours.

STC (supplemental type certificate) includes monitoring equipment installation and extended hot section inspections intervals on the engines and engine components. Depending on how many hours you fly, the program can allow for the option to extend the required hot section 500 hours before you must fund the hot sections. The STC is FAA, EASA, ANAC and TC approved for part 91 and part 135 operations.

Reliability and Safety

Safety is not compromised with a TBO aircraft extension because:

  • The engine is robust, with over a million flight hours on extended interval engines with no increased risk of failure occurring.
  • With engine monitoring, you can get ahead of any engine anomalies.
  • Hot Sections are the part that deteriorate most. The program requires them to be completed along with periotic oil samples and performance runs.
JT-15 TBO Extensions

Added Value

Since the aircraft engine life is extended, we are adding about $97 (according to VREF)per hour per side of value once the STC is installed. With 2300 hours per aircraft engine added times at $97 per hour value, that totals over $440,000 of added value for a TBO installation netting you just over $100,000 in value over what you invested.  

Coupled with the saving of not having the much higher expense of overhauls, it is the best value in the market today.

Frequently Asked Turbine Engine Overhaul Questions

Typically referred to as the time between overhauls and set by the manufacturers. Pratt & Whitney has set the TBO for Citation aircraft at 3500 flight hours, and Beechjets at 3600 flight hours.

This depends on a number of factors like if it is a first overhaul or subsequent overhaul and can also depend largely on the rotating group or hot section parts that need replacement.

The cost is also contingent on if any unexpected damage is found in the engine. Typically a "normal" overhaul of a JT15D engine will be in the neighborhood of $385,000 to $450,000 each.

There is typically no limit on the number of times you can overhaul an aircraft engine.

The limiting factor would be in the "rotating group" that has hard cycle limits which MUST be replaced at certain intervals.

If those components have life remaining and the engine after inspection is deemed serviceable, the engine can have an almost indefinite life.

The shop disassembles the engine and according to the manufacturer's overhaul manual, each of the engine parts is striped of coatings, inspected to determine if they are serviceable or additional rework or replacement is required, balances, reassembled and test-cell run.

It's mostly the hot section of the engine and the rotating group and fuel nozzles that are the focus of an overhaul, but everything gets looked at.

To state the aircraft engines are overhauled, all specifications in the manual must be met completely.

TBO Extension Can Add Up To 2300 Hours To Your Engines

TBO Extensions STC’s are a FAA, EASA, ANAC, TC-certified, 2300-hour turbine engine life-extension company for Beechjet 400A / Hawker 400XP, Citation V, and Citation Ultra aircraft.

TBO extensions can be performed at our SAM facility in Lexington, NC or Pompano Beach, FL, or by your preferred avionics shop, with per-approval. A TBO STC involves equipment installations of the monitoring equipment, GPS Antenna, and engine performance checks.  If your hot section is done at the time of kit installation. We have the work accomplished by Dallas Aeromotive out of Boyton Beach, FL) and hot section inspections can either be done in Pompano Beach, FL, or Sky Aircraft Maintenace in Lexington, NC.

Contact us now to learn how our 2300-hour Time Before Overhaul Extension successfully extends your aircraft engine life, can save you from major repairs, and will enhance your aircraft’s resale value at a fraction of the cost.

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