StandardAero Expands Global CFM56-7B Services with New Exchange Engine Solutions for Boeing 737NG Operators
StandardAero, a globally recognized independent provider of aerospace engine aftermarket services, has announced the expansion of its CFM56-7B engine services portfolio to include exchange engine solutions, further enhancing support for Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) operators worldwide. This strategic addition to StandardAero’s offerings reflects the company’s commitment to delivering flexible, time-sensitive solutions that improve aircraft availability, minimize downtime, and optimize operational efficiency for airline and leasing customers alike.
As an OEM-authorized maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider for the CFM56-7B engine—a widely used powerplant on Boeing 737NG aircraft—StandardAero already offers comprehensive overhaul and test capabilities at its facilities in Winnipeg, Canada, and Dallas, Texas. The newly introduced engine exchange program builds on this foundation by offering customers rapid access to serviceable engines, an increasingly valuable asset in an environment marked by high aircraft utilization and rising demand for narrowbody capacity.
What the Exchange Engine Program Offers
Under the exchange engine program, StandardAero provides operators with a fully serviceable CFM56-7B engine—complete with significant remaining service life and comprehensive quality assurance—in exchange for an unserviceable or time-expired engine. This approach allows airlines, lessors, and asset owners to return aircraft to operational status without waiting for a traditional overhaul cycle, reducing ground time and restoring revenue-generating potential quickly.
Drawing on years of successful implementation in other engine programs, StandardAero has applied its proven exchange model to the CFM56-7B market. The move is designed to meet the evolving needs of customers seeking high-performance solutions that balance cost, quality, and speed.
“This program is an important addition to our growing list of CFM56-7B capabilities,” said Guillaume Limouzy, Airline Sales Director for StandardAero’s Airlines & Fleets division. “By leveraging our internal asset management expertise and world-class MRO facilities in Dallas and Winnipeg, we’re able to offer responsive, high-quality solutions tailored to our customers’ urgent operational needs.”
Case Study: Supporting Stellar Aviation and the Indian Cargo Market
A recent example of the new program’s effectiveness is its successful deployment in partnership with Stellar Aviation Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a fast-growing Indian aviation services company. StandardAero provided Stellar with a warrantied, serviceable CFM56-7B26/3 engine, complete with Quick Engine Change (QEC) components, in exchange for a time-expired engine.
The transaction, completed in just six weeks, enabled Stellar to assist in returning a Boeing 737-800 freighter to service on short notice—meeting urgent demand in the region’s expanding cargo operations. Beyond the immediate engine exchange, the two companies also reached an agreement regarding the end-of-life strategy for the exchanged engine, outlining plans for asset optimization following Life-Limited Parts (LLP) expiration. Discussions are already underway for additional exchange opportunities between StandardAero and Stellar.
“Working with StandardAero enabled us to rapidly support a critical fleet requirement for our customer,” a Stellar Aviation spokesperson noted. “The speed, reliability, and professionalism of the exchange process exceeded expectations and exemplifies the kind of global partnership that aviation stakeholders increasingly rely on.”
Expanding MRO Capabilities Across North America
StandardAero has been a trusted MRO partner for CFM56-7B operators since 2010, with its Winnipeg, Manitoba facility serving as a cornerstone for engine overhaul, test, and component services. The company has since enhanced its global support capacity by adding CFM56-7B MRO capabilities at its Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport location in Texas.
This dual-facility approach provides several strategic advantages:
- Increased throughput to meet growing global demand.
- Redundancy in test cell capabilities, ensuring continuity even during peak cycles or facility maintenance.
- Geographical flexibility, reducing turnaround times for North American, Latin American, and transatlantic customers.
The addition of the Dallas facility offers customers the convenience of a second full-capability CFM56-7B engine line, further reducing downtime and strengthening StandardAero’s position as a preferred MRO partner for the global 737NG fleet.
Comprehensive CFM56 Support Ecosystem
The exchange engine solution complements StandardAero’s broad and integrated portfolio of services supporting the CFM56 engine family. These include:
- Full engine maintenance, repair and overhaul at OEM-authorized facilities.
- Engine component repair services provided by the company’s Component Repair Services (CRS) division.
- Engine and module asset management via PTS Aviation, a StandardAero company with deep expertise in used serviceable material (USM) and lease engines.
- Engine Health Monitoring (EHM) and advanced data analysis services, enabling predictive maintenance and optimized lifecycle support.
By offering this complete ecosystem of solutions, StandardAero is well-positioned to address both the tactical and strategic needs of operators managing large 737NG fleets and CFM56-7B assets.
Partner Profile: Stellar Aviation Solutions
Headquartered in New Delhi, India, Stellar Aviation Solutions Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 2009 with a focus on delivering high-level aviation consultancy and technical services. The company specializes in aircraft acquisition, airline project evaluation and execution, MRO support, engine overhaul planning, avionics management, and financial solutions such as sale-and-leaseback arrangements.
Stellar and its affiliates also operate a general aviation MRO facility at Delhi Airport, where they service a variety of business aircraft. With an agile, customer-focused model, Stellar has become a key player in South Asia’s rapidly growing aviation sector, particularly as India’s domestic and regional cargo markets expand.
CFM International: The OEM Behind the Engine
The CFM56 engine family, developed by CFM International—a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines—is one of the most successful commercial engine platforms in aviation history. Introduced in the late 20th century, the CFM56 powers thousands of aircraft globally and is especially prominent on Boeing 737NG series aircraft.
Today, CFM International supports more than 600 operators worldwide across both the CFM56 and LEAP engine families. The CFM56-7B remains a cornerstone of narrowbody aviation, prized for its durability, fuel efficiency, and low operating costs. As these engines continue to serve active fleets for years to come, robust aftermarket support and flexible lifecycle solutions like those offered by StandardAero are increasingly critical.
StandardAero’s decision to expand its CFM56-7B portfolio with an exchange engine program comes at a time of significant opportunity and challenge in the aerospace sector. With global demand for narrowbody capacity rebounding sharply, and with operators facing logistical bottlenecks in parts and labor, innovative service offerings like this provide a vital competitive edge.
For operators of Boeing 737NG aircraft, the ability to minimize downtime and access fully warrantied, serviceable engines within weeks—rather than months—offers a clear operational advantage. Meanwhile, StandardAero continues to strengthen its global footprint and deepen its value proposition in the engine aftermarket space.
As the aerospace sector looks toward sustained recovery and modernization, programs like this demonstrate how service providers can evolve to meet the real-time needs of a dynamic industry—delivering not just MRO, but complete lifecycle solutions.