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inteRVieW PRatt & Whitney

Transitioning into Service

Pratt & Whitney is working to ensure a smooth GTF engine transition into airline fleets

PRatt & Whitney’s PW1100G-JM enGine gated process to ensure the operator’s
is powering 13 aircraft on four airlines, readiness. Together with our customer, we
with a dispatch reliability of 99.9percent. develop fully executed readiness plans to
‘This has been exceeded only by the 777 make sure important elements are planned
engine back in 1995 where at the same for, such as engine training, manuals, field
point in its program history, it was at 100 rep coverage, spare engines, and initial
percent,” says Liping Xie, Vice President provisioning hardware. We also conduct
of Sales, East Asia Pacific Region, Pratt & EIS simulation exercises with customers
Whitney, in an interview with Asian Airlines to make sure they know who to call in
and Aerospace. To ensure that these different scenarios and how to care for
new engines transition smoothly into their new engines. We place seasoned,
their existing fleets, “We place seasoned, experienced EIS representatives on-site
experienced EIS representatives on-site at the GTF engine airlines for 3 to 6 months
at the GTF engine airlines for 3 to 6 months as appropriate, to ensure that these new
as appropriate,” Xie informs. Edited engines transition smoothly into their
excerpts from the interview. existing fleets. And, we’ve invested in our
world-class, 24 / 7 / 365 Global Operations Liping Xie, Vice President of Sales, East Asia
What is the latest update on the GTF engines Center (GOC) to extend customer support Pacific Region, Pratt & Whitney
that are operational with airlines today? for fleet technical and logistics needs.
Xie: Pratt & Whitney is currently powering What is the percentage of new generation
13 aircraft with our PW1100G-JM engine What are the operational benefits of GTF and materials, composites, additive
on four airlines, with a dispatch reliability expected reduction in maintenance costs? manufactured parts on the GTF?
of 99.9 percent. That is the second best Xie: The GTF engine offers a 16 percent Xie: Pratt & Whitney’s innovative products,
dispatch reliability in the history of the reduction in fuel burn, 75 percent technologies and services are leading a new
company, exceeded only by the 777 engine reduction in noise footprint, 50 percent era in aviation – a generation ahead. Pratt
back in 1995 where at the same point in reduction in emissions when compared to & Whitney’s PurePower Geared Turbofan
its program history, it was at 100 percent. today’s aircraft. From an operating cost technology is a triumph of innovation
This has been a phenomenal entry into perspective, GTF engine operators will resulting in commercial aircraft engines
service. We are achieving our 16 percent save up to $1 million per aircraft per year, that are more fuel efficient, cleaner and
fuel burn reduction commitment as well as while maintaining overall maintenance quieter than today’s engines. In addition
noise and emissions obligations. Amongst requirements consistent with today’s to our fan drive gear system, 48 new
the four operators flying today, over narrow body engines. No other single technologies were matured to enable the
900,000 gallons of fuel have been saved aisle engine comes close to this level GTF engine’s benefits. Pratt & Whitney has
since entry into service. We also have the of performance. The engine has 2,000 pioneered additive manufacturing since
PW1500G engine in service on two aircraft fewer airfoils, six fewer stages and lower the 1980s and has made more 100,000
with excellent dispatch reliability and engine core temperatures, results in a additively-manufactured prototypes
high customer acceptance not only from maintenance friendly engine. The fan (including tooling and development engine
the airline, but from flying customers. The drive gear system is designed to run for hardware). Additionally, we’ve made
environmental benefits really payoff in the infinite life with no life limited parts. Not hundreds of additively-manufactured
European region. only is it a great engine, we have a great parts to support development of the
GTF MRO network in place to support PurePower Geared Turbofan family of
What steps is P&W taking to ensure that our customers. This network includes the engines, several of which have been flight
Asian customers and MRO providers are well industry’s top MRO companies to provide tested and enabled some of the unique
versed with maintenance procedures and the highest quality maintenance support attributes of our PurePower engine.
have the necessary infrastructure at hand? for GTF engines. Operators want long-
Xie: Pratt & Whitney works with GTF term, sustainable value. That’s what we’re
engine operators 18 months prior to entry providing with the GTF MRO network.
into service (EIS), using a structured,
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