Pratt & Whitney Signs Deal With Air India Arm For Engine Repair Shop
Air India Engineering will be responsible for maintenance of Pratt & Whitney’s aircraft engines that power Airbus A320neo planes.
Pratt & Whitney has tied up Air India Ltd.'s arm Air India Engineering Services Ltd. for maintenance of its geared turbofan engines in the country, the U.S.-based aircraft engine maker said Thursday.
At present, Pratt & Whitney has more than 700 aircraft in service in India, including more than 150 GTF-powered Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The planes have been grappling with snags for nearly four years now. A substantial number of them are operated in India by IndiGo and GoAir.
Pratt & Whitney already has a tie-up with Air India Engineering for maintenance of its 4056 engine model. These engines power Boeing 747-series aircraft.
Air India Engineering will now service PW1100G-JM engines at its facility in Mumbai, Pratt & Whitney, which is a part of the United Technology Corporation, said in a release.
The Press Trust of India had reported last week that Pratt & Whitney had signed an agreement with Air India Engineering for its engine maintenance services in India.
“With AIESL performing maintenance on our high-tech GTF engines, we are excited to strengthen our global maintenance, repair, overhaul capacity and capabilities for customers on the ground in India,” said Joe Sylvestro, vice president of aftermarket operations at Pratt & Whitney.
“As the demand for air travel grows in India, we look forward to furthering the growth of Indian aviation," Sylvestro added.
The partnership with Air India Engineering will be put in place in a phased manner, starting with engine upgrade and module exchange capabilities as immediate support of the GTF fleet in India, the company said, adding the facility has already received its first GTF engine.
“It's an exciting time for us as we prepare for the GTF engine,” said HR Jagannath, chief executive officer of Air India Engineering.
“Air India Engineering has been engaged in providing MRO services to Air India and other operators for over 50 years now. Our association with Pratt & Whitney goes back a long time as well," he said. “GTF engine provides us with the opportunity to showcase our capabilities and establish AIESL as one of the premier engine MROs in Asia.”
Pratt & Whitney’s India Managing Director Ashmita Sethi said, “Pratt & Whitney is committed to investing in the success of the aviation industry in India, and to build capabilities for high value services that will help airlines get the best from their next-generation products.”
“These services are based on deep knowledge and expertise of the manufacturer, once performed in India, will save customers the downtime, disruption and costs, by keeping GTF engines flying longer, and getting them back on the wing, sooner," Sethi added.