After development of the VBE component repair capability at CRMA, the opening of the Constellation building at Paris Orly and installation of the ultra-sophisticated Electron beam welding machine at Schiphol, AFI KLM E&M is now going to implement a cutting-edge Engine Test Cell facility. The company says that a year from the 2011 Paris Air Show, the new Engine Test Cell (ETC) will be installed at Roissy CDG, replacing the existing one. The decision to implement this program is a logical continuation of a GE90 industrialization program launched by AFI KLM E&M almost a decade ago. Following the in-sourcing of engine module maintenance operations, this next-generation testing capability was the remaining step towards a unique very big engine (VBE) maintenance offering.“AFI KLM E&M’s substantial investment in VBEs, with the new Constellation Engine Shop and now this new ETC, puts us in an excellent position to provide a strong alternative to the OEM’s services,” Anne Brachet, SVP Engines, Air France Industries says. “This ETC will have capability for engine run-ups on the GP7200, GE90-94 and GE90-115 families of power plants. It will allow us to significantly shorten TATs, not only for our parent airlines, but also on behalf of our customers’ fleets.” A customer office and data transfer system are also planned to allow customers to monitor engine tests in real time. The ETC program involves a substantial €40 million investment.