Gallery: Delta TechOps’ GTF Shop Ramps Up Capacity

Delta TechOps Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) shop, which opened in 2023, was built in a former Delta Air Lines cargo facility. Aviation Week got a behind-the-scenes look at the shop as it ramps up to a goal of 400 engine turnarounds annually by 2030. 

The 155,000-ft.² shop performs work on PW1100 and PW1500 engines as part of Pratt’s GTF MRO network. Delta TechOps expects the shop to service 240 engines in 2026, up from 150 last year.

Around 200 people work in the GTF shop right now, along with dozens of support staff. Delta TechOps says it is working to maintain a hiring and training cadence to grow the shop and meet its output goals.

An engine assembly area of the GTF shop.

The GTF shop currently has a turnaround time of around 120 days, but it aims to reduce this to the 70s through continuous improvement initiatives to the shop’s flow, as well as training and hiring efforts.

During a “pit stop” experiment with Pratt & Whitney, which aimed to show the theoretical turnaround time achievable with all necessary engine parts on hand, Delta TechOps demonstrated a 45-day turnaround.

One continuous improvement effort implemented in the shop was the creation of a system for pre-staged, bagged parts in the order they are installed on the engine to help speed up work, especially during the training phase.

A storage system that holds all the small parts needed for one engine so staff do not have to hunt for them.

The shop’s engine kitting area.

A storage system for technicians’ tablets. The GTF shop also created its own software to track parts.

The shop utilized 3D printers to create storage for GTF fan blades. It also uses 3D printing to create items like tooling and protective covers for components.

This engine fan case storage area was built to anticipate the shop’s increased volume. It can hold up to 90 fan cases.

One leader in the GTF shop described this grinding machine as “worth its weight in gold.” Previously, parts had to be sent to another facility for grinding, but Delta TechOps moved those capabilities into the GTF shop this year.

Two technicians performing work on engine rotors using a hydraulic pump.

Technicians use bikes like this to cross distances more quickly across Delta TechOp’s massive Atlanta campus.

An engine parts storage area.

A parts inspection area where staff review paperwork before parts are moved to the next phase of assembly.