Pratt & Whitney and Air Lease Corporation (ALC) have firmed up an order by the latter for the manufacturer’s geared turbofan engines to power a pre-existing order between Airbus and the lessor for 26 firm A320neo family aircraft.
Los Angeles-based ALC previously ordered GTF engines to power 30 firm A320neo family aircraft. With this latest announcement at the Farnborough Airshow, ALC will manage a total of 56 GTF-powered A320neo aircraft.
Pratt & Whitney also announced it has signed long-term EngineWise comprehensive service agreements with Tianjin Airlines and West Air. The agreement will cover Tianjin Airlines and West Air’s fleet of 20 firm A320neo aircraft, operated by Tianjin Airlines and West Air and powered by GTF engines. EngineWise includes engine fleet data analytics and real-time intelligence to predict and prevent engine disruptions.
China Southern Airlines, meanwhile, selected Pratt & Whitney Canada’s APS3200 Auxiliary Power Unit for its fleet of 104 purchased and leased A320 aircraft. With this award, China Southern will operate more than 250 A320 aircraft with the APS3200. The companies also signed a long-term comprehensive support agreement to cover APU maintenance.
Earlier in the week Pratt & Whitney also sealed a deal to supply its GTF engine for 11 A320neo aircraft ordered by Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA). The carrier selected the GTF engine, as well as agreeing for Pratt & Whitney to provide it with engine maintenance through an EngineWise agreement. The airline currently operates nine V2500-powered A320 family aircraft.
MRO network expansion
Pratt & Whitney also announced that it will expand its network to eight engine MRO centres by 2020 for its GTF engines. They are currently maintained by MRO companies including Pratt & Whitney, MTU Aero Engines, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation and Lufthansa Technik.
As engine volume grows, the network will continue to expand to include other worldwide airline and MRO facilities, it said, most recently with the addition of Delta TechOps. The new ones will be: Pratt & Whitney Eagle Services Asia, Singapore (PW1100G-JM); Delta TechOps, Atlanta, Georgia (PW1100G-JM, PW1500G); and EME Aero (Engine Maintenance Europe), Jasionka, Poland (PW1100G-JM, PW1500G, PW1900G).
Pratt & Whitney Canada also signed an agreement with Hawker Pacific at the start of the week, under which the two companies will work together in a number of areas to further enhance the delivery of customer services and solutions. The comprehensive agreement spans most P&WC engine models and diagnostics and prognostics products across all segments: business aviation, general aviation, offshore, utility, regional aviation and defence and security.
Hawker Pacific will provide a wide array of maintenance, repair, engineering and customer support services to P&WC engine customers, as well as mobile repair technician services. Hawker Pacific and P&WC will also collaborate on the delivery and installation of P&WC’s diagnostic, prognostics and engine health management solutions, including its FAST™ prognostics solution, under its Digital Engine Services portfolio.
Written by: Mark Thomas
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