CFM56 Combustor:

Borescope Inspection Guide

Book Number: GEK 119179

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
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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.
CFM56 Combustor Borescope Inspection Guide

This guide is designed to aid Airline Maintenance Personnel

with the identification of typical visual findings during a CFM56
Combustor borescope inspection. Engine model specific
limitations and detailed acceptance and non-acceptance
criteria are only found in the Engine Manuals and/or Aircraft
Maintenance Manuals

Contact CFM if further assistance is needed in classification of

borescope inspection findings.

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CFM International Proprietary Information

The information contained in this document is CFM international

proprietary information and disclosed in confidence. CFM International is a
50/50 joint company between Snecma and General Electric Company. It is
the property of CFM International and shall not be used disclosed to others
or reproduced without the express written consent of CFM International,
including, but without limitation, it is not to be used in the creation,
manufacture, development, or derivation of any repairs, modifications,
spare parts, designs, or configuration changes or to obtain FAA or any other
regulatory approval to do so. If consent is given for reproduction in whole or
in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document
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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Introduction

This guide is intended exclusively for the owners

and operators of CFM engines. It has been
prepared as a guide for use in the analysis of
borescope findings on CFM Combustor Chamber
components. The purpose of the guide is to enable
identification of the typical visual findings during
the borescope inspection.
The data and images presented here do not
supersede or replace any of the engine or aircraft CFM56-7B
manufacturer’s Instructions for Continued
Airworthiness. This document and the material
within it are subordinate to the Aircraft
Maintenance Manual and Engine Manual.

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Table of Contents

Title Page Number

Introduction 5
Hardware Overview 6
Configurations Overview 10
Combustor with Minimal Distress 12
Inspection – All Surfaces 14
Dome Distress 15
Inner/Outer Combustor Liner Cracks 21
Inner/Outer Combustor Liner Missing Material 23
Combustor Cracks Interpretation Guide 29
Acronyms 35

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Applicability

Engine Model AMM Inspection

-3 72-00-00-216-023
-5A 72-42-00-290-041
-5B 72-42-00-290-041 - SAC & DAC
-5C 72-42-00-290-802
-7B 72-00-00-200-805 - SAC; 72-00-00-200-816 - DAC

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Combustion Chamber Hardware Overview (SAC)

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Combustion Chamber Hardware Overview (DAC)

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Combustion Chamber Hardware Overview

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5B/7B Configurations Overview
Pre Tech Insert (Pre-
(Pre-TI) Tech Insert (TI) Harsh Environment (TI)

Difference between
Pre-
Pre-TI and TI combustor Secondary dilution
moved forward on Multi-hole patches on 3rd
Multi-
inner / outer liners panel of inner liner

Difference between TI and Outer Inner

Harsh Environment combustor Liner Liner

Additional
multi hole
patches

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Multi-hole (Pre-Tech Insert)
Description of Pre-TI Multi-hole Patch
• Two rows of fifteen holes located behind the central primary
dilution holes on Pre-TI Outer Liner
• Provides preferential cooling in areas of commonly known
distress

4
3
2
1
Panel

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Typical Combustor with Minimal Distress
Inner
Outer Liner
Liner

Outer Liner

Typical Minimally Distressed

Combustion Chamber:
• Minor TBC spallation
• Some discoloration
• Some carbon build-up
• Minimal cracking
• Minimal material erosion
deflectors

Dome Area
Deflector Plate

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Inspection: All Surfaces
Inspect all combustion chamber
surfaces for: panel 4
• Discoloration - permitted
• Carbon Accumulation - permitted TBC Spallation
• TBC Spallation - permitted panel 3

Discoloration panel 2

panel 1

Discoloration

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Inspection: All Surfaces
Carbon accumulation

• There is no limit to the amount of carbon accumulation on any surface of the

combustor assembly, including the dome venturi area.

Carbon
Accumulation

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Dome: Deflector/Sleeve Cracks

Deflector cracks

Radial cracks in the deflector or the sleeve

• Permitted, if they are less than 0.5 inch (13 mm) in length in both Boeing and Airbus
CFM AMM’s

Circumferential cracks in the deflector or sleeve

• There is no limit to the number of cracks if they are less than 0.75 inch (19 mm) in
Length in both Boeing and Airbus CFM AMM’s

Connected cracks – permitted if within above limits. Limit is exceeded when third
crack connects in both Boeing and Airbus CFM AMM’s
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Dome: Deflector/Sleeve Missing Material
• Limits defined by the quantity of
Quadrant Quadrant
exposed dome cooling holes in
quadrants 4 ALF 1

• Great example of BSI photo taken 3

Quadrant
2
Quadrant
perpendicular to cup
• For deflector erosion, can easily
count exposed cooling holes to
compare to manual limits

ALF

Exposed Cooling
Holes

• Less than optimal examples

of deflector erosion
• BSI phothos taken at the bad
angle leading to higher
exposed cooling hole count
than necessary
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Dome: Deflector/Sleeve Distortion

Distortion of the deflector or the sleeve is permitted.

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Dome: Spectacle Plate Cracks

1) Radial cracks
• Any number up to 2 in. (50.8 mm) length and not
connected to one another

2) Circumferential cracks
• Any number up to 3 in. (76.2 mm) length
separated by 6 in. (152.4 mm)

3) Connected cracks
• Not more than (1) radial crack 2 in. (50.8 mm)
Radial cracks
long with (1) circumferential crack 3 in. (76.2
mm) long separated by 6 in. (152.4 mm)

Above limits applied for both Boeing and Airbus

CFM AMM’s

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Dome: Spectacle Plate Missing Material
Missing material on
spectacle plate

Max. 0.06 in. (1.52 mm) x 0.06 in. (1.52 mm) at intersection of connected crack

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Primary/Secondary Swirler Cracks

Cracked Primary
Swirler

Cracked Venturi

• Cracks in primary swirl nozzle permitted

• Cracks in secondary swirl nozzle venturi permitted

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Inner/Outer Liner Axial Cracks
1

Axial Cracks

1) Axial Crack shown serviceable 2

• 3 axial cracks, each less than one panel in length
Axial Crack
• One crack connected to a burn-through hole
2) Axial Crack shown serviceable
• Crack across one panel
• There is no limit to the number of axial cracks that are
contained within one panel for both Boeing and Airbus
CFM AMM’s

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Inner/Outer Liner Circumferential Cracks
1 2

1) Circumferential crack shown serviceable

• Circumferential crack not connected 3
• Crack not longer than 2 dilution lands
2) Circumferential crack shown serviceable
• Circumferential crack connected to Axial Crack
• Multiple cracks are allowed to connect if they are
contained within one panel are within the area of one
dilution hole in length (per recently updated CFM SAC
Airbus and Boeing AMM’s)
3) Axial crack shown serviceable
• Axial crack connected to burn through hole permitted
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Inner/Outer Liner Missing Material

Burn through holes:

• Burn through holes allowance based on axial
location relative to one another (when 2 or
more) and size/area of the holes
• The maximum allowable size of any single hole
is not more than 5x the size of a dilution hole
examples above shown serviceable

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Inner/Outer Liner Missing Material

Burn Through
Holes

Burn through holes:

• Burn through holes shown above are smaller than 5 times the area of a dilution hole
• Burn through holes are still within AMM limits (ref. CFM SAC Boeing and Airbus
limits)

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Inner/Outer Liner Missing Overhang

Overhang

Missing
Missing
Overhang

• Limits related with burn through holes and missing overhang should be considered
separately
• If there is a burn through area that does not include overhang, burn through hole
limits should be considered to examine the whole burn through area.
• If there is missing overhang (what can be a part of burn through hole), limits for Missing
overhangs on the inner and outer liners should be considered to examine only missing
overhang area.
Missing overhang is permitted for:
• 14 areas in each liner with these conditions:
a) Each area is not more than 2 times the size of the dilution hole.
b) Areas are not axially aligned across more than 3 adjacent panels.
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Inner/Outer Liner Distortion

Liner distortion

Proper
distortion
measurement
• Distortion measurement is the distance
taken perpendicularly. In other situation
the result could be bigger than the real
value.
• All distortions are permitted if each is
not distorted more than 0.5 inch (12.7
mm) from the original contour according
Airbus and Boeing AMM’s

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Outer Liner Cold Side Cracks

Cracked Rib

3 Panel Crack

• Cold side inspection is required only when

a hot side crack is longer than 3 panels.
• If crack is restricted to 3 panels
(inclusive), there is no need to borescope
the cold side of the liner.
• If the cracks do not extend through more
than one of ribs 4, 5, and 6 and if rib 1 is
not cracked through – condition is
serviceable with re-inspection in 750 Crack NOT
cycles. Through Rib
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Inner/Outer Combustor Liner Supports: Cracks

Cracked Outer
Aft Support Leg Cracking Support Leg
• Currently no AMM limits for this condition – not a required area to
inspect and condition is found commonly on CFM SAC Liners in the shop
• Recommendation is to BSI HPT Nozzle during routine BSI intervals if
significant cracking found – cracked supports may lead to faster outer
liner seal post wear or leaf seals liberation
• Upgrade to HS188 inner support to significantly reduce occurrence of
cracking (SB 72-0694 for CFM56-7B/SB 72-0692 for CFM56-5B)
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 Combustor Cracks
Interpretation Guide

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Quality BSI Photos

Poor Quality Photo

Excellent Photo

• Precise final conclusion • A final conlusion may not

• Less time wasted on be possible
additional emails, calls etc. • Additional questions or
multiple cases will be
required
• Longer response time

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Combustor Cracks Interpretation Guide
Connected Cracks Interpretation

Incorrect Interpretation
Correct Interpretation

• Proper interpretation of • Example of incorrect

connected cracks interpretation of connected
• There are 4 cracks in total cracks
• Axial cracks are not • Improperly defined as 2
connected as each one ends in cracks
the burn through hole
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Combustor Cracks Interpretation Guide
Connected Cracks Interpretation
One circumferential crack Two circumferential cracks

Incorrect Interpretation
Correct Interpretation

One axial cracks

One axial crack

• Proper interpretation of • Example of improper

connected cracks interpretation of axial and
circumferential cracks

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Combustor Cracks Interpretation Guide
Connected Cracks Interpretation

Incorrect Interpretation
Correct Interpretation

• Proper interpretation of • Example of improper

connected cracks interpretation of connected
• There are 4 cracks in total cracks
• Axial cracks are not • Improperly defined as 2
connected as each one ends separate cracks
in the burn through hole
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Combustor Cracks Interpretation Guide
Continuous Cracks Interpretation

Incorrect Interpretation
Correct Interpretation

• Proper interpretation • Example of improper

• There is no connection in the interpretation of continuous
cracks between the panels crack
• Cracks do not extend across • Mutiple cracks defined as
more than more than 2 panels one continous crack going
across 4 panels

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Acronym List

AMM – Aircraft Maintenance Manual HPT – High Pressure Turbine

Assy – Assembly IL – Inner Liner
BSI – Borescope Inspection OL – Outer Liner
Comb – Combustor SAC – Single Annular Combustor
DAC – Dual Annular Combustor TBC – Thermal Barrier Coating
DR – Departure Record TI – Tech Insertion

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 Questions?

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