Method and replacement member for repairing a gas turbine engine vane assembly

Claim 1

In a method for repairing a gas turbine engine air cooled vane assembly which includes inner and outer spaced apart structural platform members and an airfoil member disposed therebetween, the airfoil member having a leading edge wall, a trailing edge portion and a body wall therebetween together defining a hollow interior of the airfoil member, the steps of: removing from the vane assembly a vane assembly segment comprising at least a portion of the leading edge wall, a portion of the airfoil body wall connected with said leading edge wall portion, and a portion of at least one structural platform member connected with said leading edge wall portion; the vane assembly segment being removed to provide a first locating and bonding wall surface on the vane assembly along a preselected path which, during operation of the airfoil member in a gas turbine engine, experiences relatively low mechanical stresses; providing a replacement member of substantially the same type of material and of a size and shape which matches the removed vane assembly segment, the replacement member including a second locating and bonding wall surface which matches the first locating and bonding wall surface; placing the first and second locating and bonding wall surfaces into registry one with the other; and then, metallurgically bonding the replacement member with the vane assembly at the locating and bonding wall surfaces.