Incredible video of 36-hour Jetstar A320 engine change in just one minute

An incredible video shows the complex 36-hour process of changing an aircraft engine in just one minute – but it is the final testing stage that is the most exciting.

Incredible footage shows the complex 36-hour process of changing a Jetstar A320 aircraft engine in less than a minute.

The airline has been working to speed up the time of scheduled engine changes, reducing the process from 96 hours to 36 hours for the first time this year.

Chris Schlegel, who oversees the engineers and maintenance at Jetstar’s hangar in Melbourne, told news.com.au the end goal is to get to the 12-14 hour mark.

You can watch the video in the player above this story.

Engineers change the engine of a A320 at Jetstar’s engineering hangar in Melbourne. Picture: Jetstar

One of the key changes the airline has made is establishing a dedicated team of engineers to specialise in engine changes, and rostering them to work 24/7 to get aircraft back in the sky faster.

There are about 35 scheduled engine changes a year, which all happen at the hangar in Melbourne. Each time, 10 engineers are required – five on the day shift and five on the night shift.

One of the most exciting parts of the process is the final testing.

The engineers have to take the aircraft to full power on the ground (with the brakes on) to ensure everything is working correctly before the pilots do so with passengers on board.

“The aeroplane bounces all around, throws you around a little bit,” Mr Schlegel said, describing the final testing stage.

“We’ve got to be fully strapped into the seat because pilots don’t normally hold brakes and go full power, but we do. The brakes work very hard.”

He said it was rewarding to give “confidence to our pilots that the plane is safe and can produce the power when they need it.”

“That is an enjoyable but stressful moment for our engineers,” he said.

“We work hard to get the engine changes done and taking it to full power knowing that your pilots will be jumping on the plane in a couple of hours time and they themselves be lining up on the runway to take off with our engines changed.”

It takes 36 hours to change the engine. Picture: Jetstar

An engine change is one of the most complex and critical jobs in maintaining an aircraft, and getting it perfect is a huge responsibility, Mr Schlegel explains.

“A car can pull over into a service centre if they’ve got problems, at 33,000 feet unfortunately we can’t just pull over so we need to make sure it’s done safely and in the best way possible,” he said.

He added there were “a lot of systems” that they interfere with during the engine change, including disconnecting fuel, hydraulics, electrical, and engine controls.

A dedicated team works around the clock. Picture: Jetstar

Jetstar engineers are not usually tasked with the job until about seven to 10 years after they have completed their four-year apprenticeship as an aircraft maintenance engineer.

They need to obtain a licence from Civil Aviation Safety Authority to work on a specific engine.

“You’ve got to have your licensing for each specific aircraft type and engine combination,” Mr Schlegel, who has been with the Qantas Group for two decades, said.

“Qantas can’t carry out our engine changes, the same as we can’t carry out their engine changes.”