Europe Aircraft Engine MRO Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Europe Aircraft Engine MRO Market Trends and Insights

Recovery in Flight Hours and Delivery Backlogs Increasing Engine Utilization

Daily traffic across European airspace rebounded to 31,000 to 34,000 flights in 2024, representing 95% of the 2019 levels, and pushing engines to accumulate cycles faster than pandemic-era forecasts had anticipated. IBA projects that regional shop visits will increase from 2,500 in 2024 to more than 3,500 in 2025, a 40% rise that strains available capacity. Delivery backlogs exceeding 14,000 aircraft worldwide keep older engines, such as the CFM56-7B, in service, while early LEAP-1A fleets enter their first performance-restoration events. Spare-engine lease rates for CFM56-7B rose to USD 100,000 per month in 2024, signaling operators’ willingness to pay premiums to avoid aircraft-on-ground events.^{[1]Willis Lease Finance Corporation, “European Engine Market Analysis and Shop Visit Forecasts,” willislease.com}

Ageing European Aircraft Fleets Extending Engine Maintenance Cycles

A large share of A320ceo and B737NG aircraft operating in Europe has exceeded 15 years of service, and nearly half of the installed CFM56 base had not yet reached a first shop visit as of early 2024. Rolls-Royce forecasts 1,100 to 1,200 large-engine shop visits annually through the mid-term, sustaining demand despite the introduction of new-generation deliveries. Older engines also suffer more unscheduled removals, illustrated by Lufthansa Technik’s 2025 uptick in surprise inductions, which further loads independent shops. Operators increasingly run end-of-lease assets to failure, transferring maintenance liability to lessors, who then source faster, lower-cost solutions.

Adoption of Predictive Maintenance and Engine Health-Monitoring Systems

GE Aerospace’s AI borescope tool cut inspection time from three hours to 90 minutes in 2024, allowing faster on-wing assessments and fewer precautionary removals. Lufthansa Technik’s AVIATAR now aggregates real-time data from over 100 operators, enabling the prediction of component failures up to 60 days in advance. The DLR-led PREDICT program, launched in 2025, focuses on non-destructive on-wing inspection for hydrogen and hybrid-electric engines. Meanwhile, MTU partnered with Teledyne to stream engine data via GroundLink Comm+. Condition-based interventions can extend time-on-wing 20 to 40%, yet when anomalies appear, they compress visit windows, creating lumpy demand patterns.

EU Funding Programs Supporting Engine Efficiency and Emissions Retrofits

The EU Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking awarded EUR 25 million (USD 29.30 million) in 2024 for next-generation turboshaft research and development, while Horizon Europe funds studies on the compatibility of SAF with in-service engines. NATO’s Defence Fund backed a modular 3,000-shp turboshaft concept that promises 30% lower maintenance labor. France’s DGA co-finances Safran’s new turboshaft family, with ground testing slated for 2026. Although focused on development, these programs accelerate the adoption of digital twins, additive repairs, and advanced coatings, which quickly migrate into MRO processes.

Shortage of Skilled EASA-Certified Maintenance Personnel

EASA Part-66 licensure demands thousands of practical hours and multiple exams, creating a talent pipeline that cannot scale rapidly. Airbus forecasts that Europe will need 640,000 new technicians over the next 20 years.^{[2]Airbus, “Global Market Forecast and Technician Demand,” airbus.com} MTU is spending EUR 150 million (USD 175.99 million) to automate processes and expand apprenticeships in Germany, yet still warns of throughput limits. StandardAero built an in-house mechanic academy in San Antonio, a model that European shops now emulate. High-pressure turbine blade repair and non-destructive testing roles remain the hardest to fill.

Supply Chain Constraints in Life-Limited Parts and Forged Components

Rolls-Royce booked GBP 410 million (USD 549.17 million) in 2023 contract-loss provisions tied to delays in titanium forgings for turbine disks and compressor blades. GE’s FLIGHT DECK initiative increased supplier on-time delivery above 90% in 2024; however, lead times for certain LEAP and GTF nozzles remain 18 to 24 months. OEMs are prioritizing new-engine production, forcing MRO shops to cannibalize used serviceable material or extend turnaround times. The constraint removes 0.7 percentage points from forecast growth.

Segment Analysis

By Engine Type: Turbine Engines Anchor Aftermarket Revenue

Turbine engines generated 78.34% of Europe aircraft engine MRO market revenue in 2024 and are forecast to expand at a 4.56% CAGR through 2030, overtaking piston activity in absolute growth terms.^{[3]CFM International, “CFM and StandardAero Expand LEAP Open MRO Network,” cfmaeroengines.com} Turbofans power the majority of narrowbody and widebody fleets, and LEAP shop visits are expected to triple by 2030. Hot and harsh operations compress on-wing life, further boosting demand. Safran and GE Aerospace are competing for next-generation turboshaft awards that will direct future MRO work to European hubs. Turbojet engines form a declining niche, while turboprops receive support from Avio Aero’s Catalyst program. OEM-affiliated shops specialize in high-margin performance-restoration work, whereas independents compete on price and faster turnaround times. Rolls-Royce recorded an 11.6% operating margin on GBP 7.3 billion (USD 9.77 billion) civil revenue in 2023, underscoring the advantage of scale in turbine aftermarket economics.

A residual 22% share comes from piston engines, which serve fragmented general aviation fleets and record limited growth. Their maintenance activity remains distributed among small regional shops and does not materially alter aggregate forecasts for the Europe aircraft engine MRO market. However, hybrid-electric projects currently under EU research funding could revive interest in small-displacement piston designs configured as range extenders, potentially opening up longer-term specialization opportunities.

By Aviation: Commercial Aviation Dominates, UAVs Scale Fastest

Commercial operators accounted for 67.54% of Europe aircraft engine MRO market value in 2024, driven by an installed base of more than 10,000 active aircraft. Narrowbody engines average higher daily utilization than widebodies, yet widebody shop visits deliver greater revenue per event, with Trent XWB overhauls exceeding USD 3 million. Regional jets powered by CF34-10 engines benefit from ITP Aero’s localized repair capabilities introduced in 2025. Military fleets, including Eurofighter Typhoon and F-135 engines, ensure steady throughput but slower growth.

UAVs are leading the relative expansion at a 7.21% CAGR, supported by EASA maintenance rules for engines with a mass exceeding 150 kg. Military UAVs, such as the MQ-9 and Eurodrone, require turboprop overhauls similar to those of manned aircraft, while emerging cargo drones collaborate with general aviation shops. The Europe aircraft engine MRO market, therefore, widens its scope to new propulsion classes and security-cleared facilities.

By Maintenance Provider Type: Independent Share Holds, OEM-Affiliated Capacity Accelerates

Independent providers retained a 42.67% share of the Europe aircraft engine MRO market sales in 2024, due to their multi-OEM capabilities and price flexibility.^{[4]GE Aerospace, “2024 GE Aerospace Investor Day,” geaerospace.com} Still, OEM-affiliated shops advance at a 5.12% CAGR as manufacturers leverage proprietary data and service agreements to secure higher-margin work. GE Aerospace generated 70% of its USD 35 billion in 2024 turnover from aftermarket services, and Rolls-Royce TotalCare invoiced GBP 4.60 billion (USD 6.16 billion) in flying-hour receipts that same year. Airline in-house units face capital constraints and are increasingly outsourcing heavy maintenance visits while retaining line maintenance. StandardAero will ramp up LEAP capacity at its San Antonio site to meet demand from European carriers, signaling cross-regional service models that reinforce competition in the Europe aircraft engine MRO market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

The United Kingdom generated 21.45% of Europe's aircraft engine MRO market turnover in 2024, anchored by Rolls-Royce Derby and Dahlewitz, as well as GE Aerospace Wales. Rolls-Royce invested GBP 55 million (USD 73.63 million) in 2024 to expand Trent XWB assembly, and AerFin doubled quick-turn capacity at its new South Wales site in 2025. British providers benefit from regulatory expertise and closer proximity, but they face higher labor costs than those in Eastern Europe.

Spain represents the fastest-growing national segment at a 5.43% CAGR through 2030. ITP Aero posted EUR 1.61 billion (USD 1.89 billion) in revenue in 2024 and joined GE’s CF34-10 repair network in 2025, while Iberia Maintenance aligned with Honeywell on accessory repair. Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and the Rest of Europe complete the regional landscape, with SR Technics, Turkish Technic, and Magnetic MRO scaling LEAP and Trent capabilities. Expansion trends confirm a multi-hub structure that disperses growth across the Europe aircraft engine MRO market.