CFM56-5B

Low EGT margin

& EGT Exceedances
June 2019

CFM, CFM56, LEAP and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE. The information in this document is CFM Proprietary Information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property
of CFM International and its parent companies, and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of CFM. If consent is given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice shall appear in any such reproduction in
whole or in part. The information contained in this document may also be controlled by the U.S. and French export control laws. Unauthorized export or re-export is prohibited.
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Content

• Introduction
• Engine Performance and Health
• Engine Deterioration
• Background on Engine Testing
• EGT Exceedances
• Low EGT Margin Engines Recommendations
• Summary

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Introduction

• Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) redline is the engine

limitation most likely to be exceeded
• There are some actions aircrew can take to lower the risk of
an EGT exceedance, but only maintenance action can
restore EGT margin
• Thorough understanding the cause and effect of EGT
redline exceedance flight crews can better cope with the
situation
Information, opinions and recommendations presented are those of the engine
manufacturer – the policies of and procedures of the airplane manufacturer and
airline take precedence

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 Engine Performance
and Health

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Operational Characteristics

All CFM engines power managed for

• Constant thrust independent of ambient temperature
up to Flat Rate Temperature (FRT)
• Decreased thrust above flat rate temperature to
maintain a constant EGT
• Flat rate temperature defined as ISA + T (for example
ISA + 15°C) ISA = international standard atmosphere

N1 schedule reflected in
• FADEC and FMS software
• Graphic or tabulated data in operations publications

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Engine Parameters At Takeoff Thrust

The engine is designed to provide nameplate

thrust level up to a Flat Rate Temperature (FRT).
Takeoff
Thrust
As OAT increases, the engine needs to work harder
to produce the same amount of thrust, so N1 and
FRT
OAT EGT increase. A 1oC increase in OAT causes a
roughly 3oC increase in EGT.

At temperature above FRT, the engine decreases

N1 maximum thrust output in order to keep EGT
constant. This enables predictable operation with
margin to EGT red line.
FRT OAT

Any deviation from N1 power management will

result in corresponding deviations in EGT. This
applies to positive deviations of N1 (overboost) as
EGT
well as to reduced thrust operation.

OAT
At a given OAT, 1%N, is equivalent to
FRT approximately 10oC of EGT.

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Altitude Variation
Increasing
Altitude
As altitude increases the full thrust
Takeoff available from the engine decreases.
Thrust

OAT
FRT

Increasing
Altitude The associated N1 required to achieve
N1 full thrust increases as altitude
increases.

OAT
FRT
Increasing
Altitude

As altitude increases the FRT

EGT
decreases as ISA decreases.

OAT
FRT
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 Engine
Deterioration

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EGT & Engine Health

EGT is a traditional indication of engine health

New and refurbished engine EGT at FRT is well below EGT
redline … referred to as EGT margin
As the engine ages, EGT margin decreases due to:
• HP compressor blade erosion
• Increased compressor & turbine tip clearances
• Dust/dirt accumulation on blades

A rapid loss of EGT margin is indication of:

• Hardware damage or failure
• Control system malfunction
• Foreign Object Damage (FOD)

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EGT Margin

EGT
EGT margin is the
EGT Redline difference between the
EGT redline and the EGT
Deteriorating observed on a full thrust
Engine takeoff at or above flat
rate temperature (FRT).

The EGT margin

decreases as engine
components deteriorate.
OAT

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Takeoff EGT Margin and OATL

• Engine deterioration is
EGT typically a slow process.
EGT Redline Negative EGT Margin
• An OAT limited engine
will have negative EGT
margin at ambient
temperature above the
OAT limit.
• Full takeoff thrust is
still available (verified in
engine certification
OATL
testing).
OAT

Full takeoff thrust is still available even with negative EGT margin
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 Background on
Engine Testing

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Engine Endurance / Block Test

Test description
• 25 cycles, 6 hrs per cycle (150 hrs • Maximum and minimum fuel pressure
total)
• Maximum bleed flow
• N1 and N2 and EGT redlines (max.
declared values) • 100 starts (including 25 cold, 10 hot, 10
false) split 60% / 40% between each
• Maximum oil supply temperature EEC engine control unit channel
• Maximum and minimum oil pressure

Endurance testing pushes engine hardware much more aggressively

than in normal operations
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Engine Overtemperature Test

Objectives
• To establish operating EGT redline limit
• Engine hardware within serviceable limits

Test description
• EGT 42°C (75°F) above declared limit
• N1 and N2 at redline limits
• Hardware must be capable of maintaining
test conditions for 5 minutes

Engine durability must be demonstrated at temperatures well above

the EGT limit
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 EGT Exceedances

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EGT & Engine Health - Continued

Typical causes of EGT exceedance

− Dirty compressor airfoils

− Normal engine deterioration
− Temperature inversion
− Short warm-up time
Excessive bleed air from the engine
Blade leading edge
−
− Abnormal engine deterioration (FOD)
− Engine system malfunction
− Engine hardware malfunction

Typical cause of EGT exceedance on takeoff is deteriorated/dirty engine

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Operational Perspective
EGT Overshoot
• EGT will normally continue to creep up after setting
takeoff thrust and
• Peaks during initial climb-out

A rapid EGT increase after takeoff thrust set indicates a

possible control system malfunction, hardware damage or
surge/stall
• Engine damage more likely to occur when setting takeoff
power than later on in the takeoff roll
• Engine Damage typically accompanied by other indications
(next page)

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Evidence of Severe Engine Damage

• Loud bang, spool down, aircraft yaw • Fumes or burning smell in the
cockpit/cabin
• High indicated vibration
(N1 or N2) • Gross mismatch of rotor speeds (N1
vs N2)
• High felt vibration (N1)
• Thrust lever seizure
• N1 or N2 rotor seizure
• Non-response of engine to throttle
• Visible damage to cowling or aircraft
movement
structure
• High nacelle temperature
• Visual confirmation of metal exiting
tailpipe • Rapid decrease in oil quantity or
pressure
• Missing engine parts (e.g. tail cone)
• High oil temperature
• Rapid increase in EGT above red line
limit • Oil filter clog

Severe Engine Damage typically indicated by one or more of these

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Deteriorated Engines

Engines that have naturally deteriorated (Low/Negative EGT

Margin) over time are more prone to EGT Exceedances

Recall: Engine is designed to continue producing selected

thrust even during an EGT exceedance

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Recommended Pilot Actions

Follow aircraft manufacturer guidance – FCOM, QRH, Flight

Crew Training Manual (FCTM)
Remember:
• Engine is designed and tested to produce takeoff power
even with EGT above redline
• An EGT exceedance without other indications may simply
indicate an engine with normal deterioration

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 Low EGT Margin Engine
Recommendations

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Effect of Warm-up Time

Cold Engine Idle Time EGT Improvement
Relative to Warm Engine Takeoff

16
Warm up impact on cold engine
14
Estimated idle time impact on Takeoff EGT Margin
Idle time
12 2 5 10 15 20 25
(min)
ref - ref - ref - ref - ref -
EGT (°C) ref *
4°C 9°C 12°C 14°C 15°C
10

* ref equal to Takeoff EGT with a 2 min warm up

Delta EGT -- °C

-2
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Idle Time -- Minutes

Increasing cold engine warm-up time up to 25

minutes can decrease peak EGT by up to 15°C
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Importance of Accurate OAT for TO Planning

• Temperatures are typically rising

during most of the day
Takeoff
Thrust • Current OAT may not be reflected
in ATIS that is almost 1 hour old
OAT
• Pilots usually gather weather for
takeoff planning well before actual
takeoff
Overboost
N1 • Using Takeoff thrust with an actual
OAT higher than the planned OAT
OAT causes higher Takeoff EGTs

Planning for takeoff with an OAT that is cooler than actual OAT at departure
time will result in an overboost and increases chance of EGT Exceedance

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Recommendations for Low EGT Margin Engines

• Dispatch: network should consider the low EGT margin status and avoid
high altitude airport with limited rwy, high OAT or harsh environment,
area where temperature inversion may be predictable.
• Maintenance: monitor EGTM deterioration and OATL, perform engine
water wash, use engine covers for night stop in dirty environment.
• Flight crew:
Use EFB and accurate information to compute T/O performances
Select low flap setting and improve climb option to optimize T/O thrust reduction
Select air conditioning OFF for small EGT reduction (∼10°C)
Select max T/O thrust reduction (Max Flex)
Optimize engine failure procedures and takeoff path
Select climb thrust at the lowest possible altitude (800 ftg AGL)
Reduce T/O weight as much as possible (avoid extra fuel not essential)
Give priority to operations on long rwy and use max rwy length available
Use extended engines warm-up with cold engines (residual EGT present before start)

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 Summary

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Summary

• Decreasing EGT margin is expected as the engine naturally deteriorates

over time
• Low EGT margin engines are more prone to EGT exceedances
• Engines are designed and tested to continue producing commanded
thrust, even with an EGT exceedance
• There are some actions aircrew can take to lower the risk of an EGT
exceedance, but only maintenance action can restore EGT margin

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 Good flight !

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