When I worked the R models at Fairchild, 93 to 03, the engines were a maintenance dream. 300 hrs on them, on average, when I arrived and 3 to 5000 hrs when I left. The engines were extremely reliable. I only dropped 4 engines during my time there, and those drops were caused by a coating in the 7th, 8th, and 9th stage that would come apart and FOD the engine. The flightline did a couple engine drops due to engine ground strikes. Both engines were put back up on the wing after the strut was inspected and the fan ducts were replaced. I saw several bird strikes and I also was on a post phase engine run that experienced a compressor stall at TRT. (shifted the plane about 6 ft sideways) I never droped an engine due to bird strike or the compressor stall. I felt the compressor stalled engine should have been dropped, but tech data showed the damage that was done to the 9th stage compressor was all within limits.

I talked with a GE tech rep and he said that there is a clip that holds the HPT Clearance Control Shroud that is/was going to 100% fail due to erosion. I have also talked with former co-worker and he said that the engines are definatly showing their age now. Said the Control Shroud is causing high EGT on engine starts.