New York, Feb 14, 2026, 16:32 EST — The closing bell has sounded.
- GE Aerospace ended Friday’s session at $315.41, gaining 0.8%.
- Reuters reported the company is ramping up automation and adopting “Lean” practices to boost jet-engine repair output.
- Traders are eyeing whether CFM will ramp up LEAP engine shipments, with Airbus pushing suppliers—this as a separate spat with Pratt & Whitney plays out.
GE Aerospace closed out Friday at $315.41, up 0.8%. Investors are now watching aviation’s maintenance bottlenecks, with a U.S. market holiday week on deck.
At its Singapore repair hub, GE is now training robots to handle the kind of precise repair jobs previously done by skilled hands, Reuters reported. The move is aimed at cutting through repair backlogs and alleviating the parts shortages that have left some aircraft grounded for months awaiting maintenance. Chief Executive Larry Culp calls the “Flight Deck” initiative a matter of consistent daily progress, not just a mad dash at the end of the quarter. AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes, meanwhile, is pushing engine manufacturers to “treat us as partners.” Reuters
GE’s CFM joint venture partner Safran has boosted its 2026 outlook, banking on robust demand for civil engine services—a crucial profit lever for the industry. Safran projects recurring operating profit between 6.1 billion and 6.2 billion euros in 2026. The company also reported a 30% jump in civil engine services revenue last year, measured in U.S. dollars.
Right now, the real variable is supply, not demand. Safran CEO Olivier Andries said CFM aims to cover any extra Airbus demand this year, but cautioned, “As with each year, if we can do more we will, but our commitment corresponds with our share of the market.” Airbus has been ratcheting up pressure on its suppliers as it seeks to ramp up A320neo-family production. The company is also still negotiating with rival engine maker Pratt & Whitney over supplies for 2026 and 2027, Reuters reports. Reuters
Outside the immediate supply crunch, attention has turned to CFM’s next move on fuel-efficient engines. According to Reuters, the GE-Safran partnership is weighing a traditional “advanced ducted” engine as a backup, even as it pushes ahead with its open-fan RISE project—promising roughly 20% cuts to fuel use and emissions. “My biggest cost is fuel,” Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said. GE, for its part, cited CEO Culp’s previous statement: the company remains “all-in on Open Fan.” Reuters
The real action is in the aftermarket: that years-long stretch of parts, repairs, and maintenance trailing every engine sale. Here, grounded planes and parts shortages can flip the script on prices and leverage. “Lean” refers to a collection of shop-floor tactics designed to slice out wasted effort and keep jobs moving.
But there are clear risks here. FlightGlobal noted that Andries admitted there are “lots of challenges” ahead for open-fan engines. Customers, for their part, have raised concerns over durability issues with the newer LEAP engines, as well as the slow rollout of fixes. Some LEAP-1B enhancements aren’t expected to be certified until the first half of 2026. Flight Global
The NYSE is closed Monday for Washington’s Birthday, so GE won’t know until Tuesday if Friday’s bid sticks. Investors are eyeing Airbus’s Feb. 19 report for news on production goals and engine supply — particularly if the Airbus-Pratt discussions shift expectations for CFM shipments.
