Safran Helicopter Engines will need to double its current production output over the next 18 months to keep up with current demand, says Cedric Goubet, the company’s new CEO.
Speaking to journalists ahead of Safran’s participation at the Paris Air Show, Goubet noted that the company must achieve this despite the severe supply chain issues impacting the entire industry.
“The recovery is really everywhere, in all segments,” he said. “It’s a very strong, very promising recovery, which is good news for everyone — and especially for Safran Helicopter Engines.”
Goubet took over as the head of the engine manufacturer from Franck Saudo in April. He has held various positions within the Safran Group since 2010, including executive vice president of the commercial engine division at Safran Aircraft Engines, CEO of Safran Nacelles, and CEO of Safran Landing Systems.
“I’m fortunate to join Safran Helicopter Engines at the time where the recovery on the helicopter market is very strong, with quite a challenging ramp up to accomplish this year, next year, and probably the years after,” he said.
Safran Helicopter Engines produced around 500 new engines in 2022, but will need to reach over 700 this year and be “very close” to 1,000 next year, said Goubet, “should the supply chain situation permit.”
The last time the manufacturer achieved this rate of production was in 2009 — when it was still known as Turbomeca.
“Today, all I could produce, all I could buy as parts to put on an engine, I could sell it,” said Goubet. “There is no issue today with the demand, the issue — the shock now — is on the supply side.”
Raw materials, castings, forgings, and some electronic components have been particularly impacted. “[The situation] is improving, but we are not there yet,” said Goubet, adding that Safran is working hard to mitigate the impact to be able to provide OEMs with at least the minimum number of engines they need to meet demand.
On the aftermarket side, Safran supports a fleet of 22,000 engines in operation around the world. These engines recorded a combined total of four million flight hours last year — which represented a return to pre-pandemic levels, said Goubet.
“We, of course, do our best effort to continue to provide the end user and the operators of our engines with the best support we can, which is the case I think for the time being,” he said. “But believe me, this is a daily battle — a daily battle all over the place to have the parts we need to produce engines we need to deliver.”
There is no quick fix, with the current situation due to last “at minimum” another 18 months. However, to date, the company has avoided any aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situations resulting from supply chain issues, he added.
Safran Helicopter Engines has used various methods to help ensure supply, including more repairs, the development of new repair solutions, and sourcing new suppliers.
“Sometimes we have also to see . . . engineering wise, if we have some room for maneuver, for example, for TBO — time between overhaul — extension,” he said. “That will buy a bit of time, with of course, zero compromise and zero risk for safety, of course.”
Such measures are taken in close consultation with regulators and customers, he added.
To meet the ramp up in production, Safran Helicopter Engines will need to add significantly more staff, sad Goubet.
“We need also to recruit, train, get the skills and the people we need in due time, because we are growing, so we need more capacity, and we are working a lot,” he said. “Lead times have increased not only to get the parts we need, but also to get the people we need, to hire them, to recruit them.”
Given the current climate of staffing shortage across the aerospace industry, Goubet said Safran would need to be “more creative, more innovative” to attract potential employees.
Safran Helicopter Engines recruited more than 400 people last year, and the company is aiming to repeat that feat this year and next. By 2025, it hopes to have increased its staffing levels by more than 1,000 people — quite a feat, especially considering its current scale of 6,000 global employees.
Looking to the future, Goubet said research and development work to reduce turbine weight while improving performance is ongoing, with additive manufacturing helping to “open up the envelope of design.”
Hybrid electric demonstrators are being tested for both single- and twin-engine aircraft, while the company is working towards approving the use of 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its engines.
And it’s through using those three elements — improved performance, hybridization, and SAF — that Safran is targeting a 50-percent reduction in fuel consumption in new engines by 2030.
