Hebei Airlines Selects ST Engineering for CFM56-7B Engine Support at MRO Asia-Pacific 2026
Hebei Airlines has signed a two-year exclusive agreement with ST Engineering for Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV) services on its CFM56-7B engines, strengthening the Singapore-based engineering group’s position in China’s growing engine-maintenance market.
The agreement was announced on 23 September 2026, during MRO Asia-Pacific 2026 in Singapore. Under the contract, ST Engineering will perform maintenance on 14 CFM56-7B engines powering Hebei Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 fleet at its aerospace facility in Xiamen, China.
Two-year engine maintenance programme
The contract covers a two-year programme beginning in September 2026. The work will involve performance restoration shop visits, a major form of engine maintenance designed to restore engine performance and extend operational life.
For Hebei Airlines, using an MRO facility within China gives the carrier access to specialised engine-maintenance capability without having to send engines to a more distant overseas location.
Hebei Airlines Deputy General Manager Yang Jun said the airline’s existing relationship with ST Engineering and the company’s engine-maintenance capabilities were important factors in the agreement. The carrier said the programme is expected to support repair quality and optimise turnaround times.
Xiamen becomes the centre of the programme
The maintenance will be carried out at ST Engineering’s aerospace facility in Xiamen, which specialises in engine and nacelle MRO services.
The facility has established capabilities for both the CFM56-7B and CFM56-5B engine families. ST Engineering says its engine MRO network in Singapore and Xiamen will have a combined annual capacity of more than 400 engines by 2027.
The Xiamen location is strategically relevant to Chinese airline operators because it places specialised engine support within the country’s aviation-maintenance ecosystem.
The agreement also builds on ST Engineering’s wider relationship with Chinese airlines. Earlier in 2026, the company signed a separate multi-year agreement with Xiamen Airlines to provide PRSV services for its CFM LEAP-1A engines. That relationship dates back more than three decades and has included previous CFM56 engine shop visits.
CFM56 remains important despite the shift to LEAP
The Hebei Airlines agreement also highlights the continuing importance of the CFM56 engine family.
While airlines are increasingly introducing newer aircraft powered by CFM LEAP engines, large numbers of CFM56-powered Boeing 737NG and Airbus A320-family aircraft remain in commercial service.
ST Engineering said strong CFM56 maintenance demand continues as airlines maintain high fleet utilisation and keep older narrowbody aircraft in operation for longer. At the same time, the company is expanding its capabilities for next-generation LEAP engines.
This creates a transitional market for MRO providers: supporting established CFM56 fleets while simultaneously developing the infrastructure and technical capabilities required for LEAP-powered aircraft.
MRO demand continues to expand across Asia-Pacific
The Hebei Airlines agreement comes during a period of significant MRO investment across the Asia-Pacific region.
Aviation Week reported at MRO Asia-Pacific 2026 that ST Engineering is expanding its engine capabilities while other regional MRO providers are also adding capacity. The company has expanded its Singapore engine facilities, with CFM56 maintenance capacity expected to increase as part of a broader engine-MRO expansion programme.
The region’s growing aircraft fleets and high utilisation rates are creating additional demand for engine shop visits, component repair and heavy maintenance.
For airlines, the availability of MRO capacity closer to their operating bases can reduce logistical complexity and help improve aircraft availability.
A regional MRO strategy taking shape
For ST Engineering, the Hebei Airlines contract is more than an individual engine-support agreement.
The company has been building a broader Asia-Pacific engine MRO network, combining facilities in Singapore and China with expanding capabilities for both current-generation CFM56 engines and newer LEAP platforms.
ST Engineering says it has delivered more than 10,000 engines and overhauled more than 1,500 CFM56 engines since 1999, highlighting the depth of its experience with the engine family.
The Hebei Airlines programme therefore gives the company another opportunity to leverage that experience in the Chinese market while supporting a carrier operating a sizeable Boeing 737-800 fleet.
What the agreement means for the regional aviation industry
The deal illustrates how Asia-Pacific’s MRO market is increasingly being shaped around regional proximity, specialised engine capability and fleet lifecycle support.
For Hebei Airlines, the Xiamen-based programme provides access to established CFM56-7B expertise within China. For ST Engineering, it strengthens its relationship with a Chinese airline and adds another CFM56 programme to its regional engine portfolio.
As airlines continue balancing older narrowbody fleets with investments in next-generation aircraft, demand for both CFM56 maintenance and LEAP support is likely to remain an important part of the Asia-Pacific MRO landscape.
The Hebei Airlines agreement places ST Engineering directly in that transition, with its Xiamen facility serving as an important part of the company’s regional engine-support network.
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