Full-fleet Oil Change Delivers Benefits for GOL

April 17, 2013
The airline, which is the largest operator of CFM56 engines in South America, switched last year from standard jet oil to Air BP Lubricants' Turbo Oil (BPTO) 2197.

Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA has experienced improved operations and reduced oil costs after recently undertaking a full-fleet oil conversion.

The airline, which is the largest operator of CFM56 engines in South America, switched last year from standard jet oil to Air BP Lubricants’ Turbo Oil (BPTO) 2197.

GOL made the switch in an effort to eliminate problematic oil-related carbon deposits (coking), reduce maintenance time and costs, and improve engine lifespan.

GOL Maintenance Director Alberto Correnti said the airline experienced improved operations in its first three months following the full-fleet conversion.

"The transition to a high performance turbo oil was part of the airline’s strategy to maintain its low-cost position while improving operational performance and safety,” Mr Correnti said.

"This transition is an example of how one small switch can have a noticeable operational benefit.” 

Air BP Lubricants Global Sales Director Rodger Harris said the full-fleet oil conversion of GOL’s 125 B737 aircraft took six months, with Air BP Lubricants providing a comprehensive transition program to make the switch as seamless as possible.

"As part of our service we offer customers a program that addresses a range of conversion issues and provides post-conversion support to ensure engineers maximize the benefits of BPTO 2197," Mr Harris said.

"We are committed to helping airlines move to a high performance oil smoothly and successfully, to ensure they are flying as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible."

GOL’s conversion to BPTO 2197 came after a review of its fleet identified a high thermal stability oil was needed to eliminate coking, which can restrict or block oil flow, lead to engine shutdowns and failures, and result in increased maintenance time and costs.

Air BP Lubricants has been leading the market with BPTO 2197 for more than 15 years. BPTO 2197 is the world's most proven high performance turbo oil with over 250 million hours of proven performance and is relied upon by some of the world’s leading airlines for their most demanding applications.