Engine test runs are choreographed procedures that, while being easily plannable, require a large number of different activities depending on the purpose of the test.

A development test run is intended primarily to validate theoretical assump­tions in practice. To this end, com­po­nents are sometimes deliberately subjected to loads that normally do not occur in conventional flight operations. Due to the individual instru­mentation and many measuring points, rigging is usually a time-consuming business.

Production acceptance tests on new or freshly over­hauled engines on the other hand verify clearly defined perfor­mance parameters. They can be carried out considerably faster, because the engine and test cell are connected up using interfaces that can be quickly coupled. MTU’s Munich site handles one third of the PW1100G-JM accept­ance tests on new engines. MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg in Ludwigsfelde is responsible for production accept­ance tests on all TP400-D6 engines destined for German A400M transporters.

But whatever test is due to be carried out—the steps the engine goes through in the test cell are always the same.