Pratt & Whitney Completes First PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engine for Airbus A320neo Family of Aircraft

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, Oct. 26, 2012 – Pratt & Whitney has completed assembly of its first engine to test (FETT) for its PurePower® PW1100G-JM engine – the first engine to power the Airbus A320neo aircraft. Company leadership, Airbus, MTU, JAEC and employees celebrated the program milestone with a Last Bolt Ceremony at Pratt & Whitney’s West Palm Beach facility today, where the full engine is scheduled to begin testing soon. The engine, rated at 33,000 pounds of thrust, is the third member of the PurePower PW1000G family of engines to begin testing.

The PW1100G-JM engine test program will run a total of eight test engines over the next 24 months. Test engines will be built both at Pratt & Whitney’s West Palm Beach and Middletown facilities. Entry into service is scheduled for October 2015. To date, Pratt & Whitney has firm orders for 1,136 PW1100G-JM engines to power the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft.

The PurePower engine uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core delivers fuel efficiency and environmental benefits. Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower engine family testing recently exceeded 3,700 hours and 11,000 cycles of full engine testing.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

• Pratt & Whitney completes first PW1100G test engine (Flight International)
• P&W Completes First A320NEO Engine; Tests To Start Next Month (Aviation Week)
• A320neo's First Pratt & Whitney Test Engine Takes Shape (Aviation International News)
• P&W's NEO engine shows a surprising new face (Flight International)
• PurePower PW1100G-JM readies for tests (Air Transport World)
• Pratt & Whitney Completes Assembly of First Engine for Airbus A320neo (Aviation Today)
• First PurePower Engine For Airbus Finished (Hartford Courant)
• Pratt to test first PurePower for the A320neo (Hartford Business Journal)

AirInsight Offers Technical Analysis of PurePower Engine

Ernie Arvai of AirInsight recently met with Pratt & Whitney Chief Engineers Chris Kmetz and Graham Webb for a detailed discussion of the technologies used in the PurePower PW1000G engine. A full technical analysis is now posted at AirInsight. The post reviews the core of the engine, advanced manufacturing technologies and innovations beyond the gear.

"[Pratt & Whitney] has designed a new engine that isn’t simply a high technology gearbox added to an existing core, but an all new product across the board," Arvai writes. "By incorporating new technology throughout the core, and leveraging the gear to provide game changing fuel economy while minimizing maintenance costs, [P&W] feels that it has a “game changing” engine in terms of economics, and future growth potential." 

Learn more about the PurePower engine at www.purepowerengine.com. 

Coverage:

• AirInsight Technical Analysis: The Core of the PW1000G Geared Turbo-Fan

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Receives $1 Million Award from U.S. Department of Energy to Advance Oxy-Combustion Technology

The Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and its team members $1 million to evaluate the benefits of pressurized oxy-combustion in a fluidized bed reactor to economically capture greenhouse gases emitted by coal-fired power plants. As part of the award, which the DOE signed into contract today, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and its partners will contribute an additional $267,000 toward the project.

Oxy-fuel combustion is the process of producing heat to generate electricity by burning fuel using pure oxygen instead of air. The combustion process using pressurized oxygen and recycled carbon dioxide gas improves process efficiency and eliminates nitrogen from the exhaust, thus enabling the economic capture of the carbon dioxide gas for geologic sequestration or enhanced oil recovery.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Coverage:

• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Receives $1 Million DOE Contract (San Fernando Valley Business Journal)
• DOE awards $1mn to test emissions control technology (Power Engineering)

Pratt & Whitney Signs Five New Engine Management Program Contracts

Pratt & Whitney recently signed five new contracts for its Engine Management Program (EMP) service in which Pratt & Whitney monitors and helps maintain customers' engine performance.

Through these agreements, Pratt & Whitney has two new U.S.-based customers -- Southern Air, located in Norwalk, Conn., with an eight-year EMP agreement for twelve PW4000 engines and Capital Cargo, based out of Orlando, Fla., with a five-year EMP agreement for six PW2000 engines. Internationally, China Cargo has signed a three-year EMP agreement on four of its PW2000 engines. Greece-based Astra Airlines has signed a three-year EMP agreement for two V2500 engines and Icelandair has agreed to a five-year EMP agreement for eight PW4060 engines. 

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

• Southern Air signs on with Pratt & Whitney (Connecticut Post)

Pratt & Whitney’s F119 Engine Achieves Significant Milestones

Pratt & Whitney has delivered the 500th F119 engine, which powers the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, to the U.S. Air Force. This delivery is accompanied by another significant milestone for the F119 program – more than 20 years of simulated operational service through Accelerated Mission Tests (AMTs), an achievement that further demonstrates the maturity and dependability of the world's first fifth-generation fighter engine.

An accelerated mission test compresses many years of operational service into a short duration test, which allows for a robust evaluation of engine durability. During the most recent period of testing, an F119 production engine ran for nearly 570 hours, accumulating more than 2,000 cycles or approximately four years of service. Combined with previous testing, this engine has now surpassed 20 years of simulated operational service. Pratt & Whitney F119 engines have accumulated over 230,000 of actual operational flight hours powering the F-22 fleet.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Selected for Negotiations for U.S. Air Force Adaptive Engine Technology Development Program

Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has been selected for negotiations by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the Adaptive Engine Technology Development (AETD) program. The AETD program is an initiative by the AFRL Aerospace Systems Directorate to mature critical fuel efficiency technologies and engine design features that could transition into legacy and next generation military combat aircraft.

P&W’s proposed AETD program will lead to demonstration testing of an advanced high pressure ratio core in late 2015, to be followed in 2016 by full engine testing of a three-stream adaptive fan and three-stream compatible augmentor and exhaust system. The introduction of the third flow path stream will allow the engine operating conditions and resultant bypass ratio to be modulated to optimize performance across all power settings and flight conditions. This will significantly reduce total fuel consumption across multiple missions.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

• 6th Gen Engines - Pratt In, Rolls Out, GE Stays On (Aviation Week: Ares Blog)
• U.S. taps Pratt to pen fuel-efficient warplane motor (Hartford Business Journal)
• GE, P&W selected to build fuel-efficient military engine demonstrators (Flight International)

‘NASA X’ TV Show Features PurePower Engine, Technologies

NASA TV is featuring the PurePower® engine and its technologies as part of the premiere episode ("Environmentally Responsible Aviation") of its new "NASA X" program. NASA interviewed Paul Adams, senior vice president, Operations & Engineering; Alan Epstein, vice president, Technology & Environment; and Michael Winter, chief engineer, Technology, in East Hartford, Conn.

The focus of the PurePower section of the program is Pratt & Whitney's research work on high bypass jet engines with the NASA Glenn Research Center for basic technologies P&W will develop for the second generation of Geared Turbofan™ engines.

Learn more about the "NASA X" program on its Facebook page. 

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage, Placing Critical Government Satellite into Orbit

[Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet, via YouTube]

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled a critical U.S. government satellite into orbit on Sept. 13, once again demonstrating the consistency and reliability of their rocket launch propulsion systems.  The spacecraft launched from Vandenberg Air Force Station in California on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.  The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust.  The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust.  The RD-180 is fueled by a kerosene/liquid oxygen mixture, provides an environmentally-clean operation, and uses an extremely efficient, high-pressured staged combustion cycle.  The high-pressure helium storage tanks on the Atlas V booster and upper stage were manufactured by ARDE, Inc., located in Carlstadt, N.J., a division of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Click here to view the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Click here to view the United Launch Alliance press release. (Page includes a photo gallery.)

Coverage:

• Top-secret satellite is launched from Vandenberg (Los Angeles Times)

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners Names Metal Technology Co. Ltd. Designated Service Provider for JT8D Engine Repairs

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners and Metal Technology Co. Ltd. (MTC) have signed an agreement to establish MTC as a designated service provider for Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine part repairs.

Under the long-term agreement, MTC will perform high pressure turbine/low pressure turbine blade and vane repairs for Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines at its Narita, Japan-based facility.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Coverage:

• Pratt picks Tokyo firm to fix engines (Hartford Business Journal) 

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage, Placing Radiation Belt Storm Probes into Orbit

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission into orbit, once again demonstrating the consistency and reliability of their rocket launch propulsion systems. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine. RD AMROSS LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash.

Built and managed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the RBSP includes two spacecraft designed to fly in elliptical orbits to study the planet’s radiation belts and help scientists better understand the sun’s influence on the Earth and near-Earth space. The mission is part of NASA’s Living with a Star Geospace program to explore fundamental processes that operate throughout the solar system, in particular those that generate hazardous space weather effects near the Earth and phenomena that could affect solar system exploration.


The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Click here to read the United Launch Alliance press release.

Coverage:

• NASA twin satellites to probe mysteries of the Van Allen belts (CNET News)
• Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's RL10 engine propels RBSP mission into orbit (Zecco)

Paul Adams Receives ASME Leadership Award

Paul Adams, Pratt & Whitney’s senior vice president of Operations & Engineering, was named recipient of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineering) 2012 Leadership Award for advancing the use of computers and information in engineering.

Adams was recognized by the ASME Computers & Information in Engineering Division (CIE) for integrating state-of-the-art computing resources into Pratt & Whitney’s product design, manufacturing engineering, quality testing operations and supply chain to achieve superior, reliable jet engine products that are second to none in the world. In particular, he has championed and led the investment in computing platforms that enable effective use and sharing of information across Pratt & Whitney’s global engineering teams.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

• Pratt's Paul Adams is ASME's 2012 engineer awardee (Hartford Business Journal)

Vintage Pratt & Whitney Engines Power 'Spirit of North Carolina'

The Star News of Wilmington, N.C., published a great feature on "The Spirit of North Carolina" today. This airplane is one of a few A-26C Invaders still flying today. Its engines? Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasps.

Douglas Aircraft Company built fewer than 2,500 A-26s, so don't miss your chance to see "The Spirit of North Carolina" if it is part of the flying display at an air show near you. The Star News notes that the aircraft is set to appear in Winston-Salem, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., and Stuart, Fla., this year.

The R-2800 Double Wasp engine powered more than 38 types of aircraft, including the Chance Vought F4U Corsair, Martin B-26 Marauder, Northrop P-61 Black Widow, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and Grumman F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat and F8F Bearcat.

Pratt & Whitney built more than 125,000 Double Wasp engines from 1939 to 1960.

Readers: What R-2800-powered aircraft have you seen in action? Tell us about it in a comment. 

Coverage:

• Vintage plane has new life as a star of air shows, patriotic events (Star News)

Hess, Industry Leaders Urge End to Sequestration at West Palm Beach Rally

Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky, in conjunction with the Aerospace Industries Association, hosted a "Second to None" rally for more than 300 employees on Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Fla. The rally highlighted the critical contribution of the aerospace and defense industry to the U.S. economy and spread the word about the potential impact of budget sequestration.

The speaking program included U.S. Rep. Allen West of Florida, Pratt & Whitney President David Hess, Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager, Joint Strike Fighter Program Integration, Lockheed Martin and Scott Starrett, vice president, Washington Operations & Government Business Development, Sikorsky, all of whom were joined on stage by 50 U.S. veterans. The veterans, who are also Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky employees, were publicly recognized for their military service by each of the speakers, and by their fellow employees. Hess, who also serves as chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association, urged employees to join the fight against sequestration by contacting their elected officials.

"Massive sequestration budget cuts are a threat to American jobs, the economy and U.S. national security," Hess said. "We need you, our employees, to raise your voices loud and clear, and tell our elected officials that what we need is an alternative to sequestration that keeps us on the path of continued job creation, growth and innovation."

Click here to read the full text of Dave Hess' speech. 

Coverage:

• Interview With Florida Representative Allen West (FOX News)
• Defense firms may issue layoff warnings despite US guidance (Reuters)
• Pratt workers aim at defense-spending cuts (Sun Sentinel)
• Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin and Aerospace Industries Association opposing budget cuts (WPTV)

Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne Powers ‘Curiosity’ Rover on Mars

Moments after Curiosity landed on Mars, the rover successfully began its mission to see whether the red planet has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life – thanks to power provided by Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne, which helped design and develop the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG).

The MMRTG, which has a design life of 14 years, has been built to operate in a range of harsh environments, from the vacuum of deep space to extreme planetary surface atmospheres. It was developed by Hamilton Sundstrand Rocketdyne and Teledyne Energy Systems in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy.

The MMRTG is being used for the first time on the Curiosity mission. It provides both heat and electrical power to the rover, and continuous electrical power that allows day and night operation. The heat is used to provide thermal stability for Curiosity without drawing on the rover’s electrical power.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release. 

Coverage:

• Nuclear Pack Powers Rover on Mars (New York Times)
• With NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Safely on Surface, Time to Take Inventory (Washington Post)

Boeing to Further Develop Commercial Crew Space Transportation System under NASA CCiCap Award Supported by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

NASA has selected Boeing to receive $460 million in additional funding to further develop the Boeing Commercial Crew Transportation System in the third round of the Commercial Crew Program, Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap). In its partnership with Boeing on CCiCap, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will continue to support development of the service module with integrated launch-abort propulsion system for the Commercial Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft. The CST-100 spacecraft is designed to transport people to the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit destinations.

The CCiCap agreement between NASA and Boeing focuses on the design and development of a fully-integrated commercial crew transportation system that includes spacecraft, launch vehicle and ground and mission systems. In its partnership with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will continue to provide support on propulsion system design maturation leading to the Critical Design Review, and complete development testing on key propulsion system components on the CST-100 spacecraft.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release.

Coverage:

• NASA Taps Three Companies To Develop New Spacecraft (Los Angeles Times)
• Rocketdyne Gets Good News on Space Vehicle Program (San Fernando Valley Business Journal)
• SpaceX, Boeing Big Winners in NASA Competition for New Spacecraft (McClatchy-Tribune News Service)
• NASA Awards $1.1 Billion to 3 Companies to Develop Spacecraft (Washington Post)

UTC Reports Second Quarter EPS Growth From Continuing Operations of 15 Percent; Expects 2012 EPS of $5.25 to $5.35 on Sales of $58 Billion to $59 Billion and Increases Restructuring

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) today reported second quarter 2012 results. All results in this release reflect continuing operations unless otherwise noted.

Earnings per share of $1.62 and net income attributable to common shareowners of $1.5 billion, were up 15 percent and 14 percent, respectively, over the year ago quarter. Results for the current quarter include $0.10 per share of net favorable one-time items, partially offset by $0.06 of restructuring costs. Earnings per share in the year ago quarter included $0.05 per share of net favorable one-time items, partially offset by $0.04 of restructuring costs. Before these items, earnings per share increased 13 percent year over year. The effective tax rate for the quarter was 22.5 percent. Foreign currency translation, and hedges at Pratt & Whitney Canada, had an adverse impact of $0.05.

Click here to read the UTC press release. 

United Technologies to Sell Rocketdyne Unit to GenCorp Inc.

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) announced it has reached agreement to sell its Rocketdyne unit, currently part of Pratt & Whitney, to GenCorp Inc. for $550 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2013.

As previously announced, proceeds from the sale will be used to repay a portion of the short-term debt incurred to finance the proposed acquisition of Goodrich Corporation. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Click here to read the UTC press release.

Coverage:

• GenCorp To Pay $550M For UTC's Rocketdyne (Hartford Courant)
• GenCorp To Pay $550M For UTC's Rocketdyne (Reuters, via Aviation Week)
• United Tech. sells Rocketdyne unit for $550 mln (MarketWatch)
• Rocketdyne sold to GenCorp for $550 million (Los Angeles Times)
• GenCorp buying P&W Rocketdyne (United Press International)
• GenCorp to buy rocket manufacturer Rocketdyne (Flight International)
• Aerojet's Parent Company Bids $550 Million for Rival Rocketdyne (SpaceNews)

Pratt & Whitney President Testifies Before House Armed Services Committee

Pratt & Whitney President and Aerospace Industries Association Chairman Dave Hess testified before the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday on the uncertainty around the topic of sequestration and the possible effects on national defense.

Broadly, sequestration involves spending cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011, which take effect on Jan. 2, 2013, unless Congress and the administration agree on a solution. There is significant uncertainty over how sequestration would work, and many groups, including AIA, are seeking clarification from Washington.

Hess shared his perspective on the detrimental consequences that sequestration could cause on the defense industry and urged the White House for more clarity.

"As an industry, we are already seeing the impacts of potential sequestration budget cuts today," Hess said. "Companies are limiting hiring and halting investments - largely due to the uncertainty about how sequestration cuts would be applied."

Click here to read the full text of the testimony.

Coverage:

• Defense company execs warn of layoffs if cuts go through (Federal News Radio)
• Defense executives plead for Congress to avoid budget cuts (Reuters)
• Defense Contractors Say Hiring Slows Before Budget Cuts (Bloomberg)
• Defense contractors speak out against budget cuts (Washington Post)
• Aerospace execs tell Congress that 'sequestration' will cost jobs (Los Angeles Times)
• Aerospace industry fears looming defense cut, lack of R&D (Seattle Times)
• CEOs in Crossfire At Sequestration Hearing (AOL Defense)
• Defense executives warn of dire cuts (Politico)
• Defense firm chief says tax hikes should be on sequester table (The Hill)
• As Defense Cuts Loom, Weapons Makers Say Tax Hikes Should Be On The Table (Huffington Post)
• Industry Execs: Don't Rule Out Tax Hikes to Avoid Defense Cuts (U.S. News)

Pratt & Whitney to Provide PurePower® PW1200G Engines on SkyWest, Inc. Order for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets

Pratt & Whitney will provide exclusive power for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft for an order announced today by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and SkyWest, Inc. The agreement represents 200 PurePower PW1200G engines with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2017.

Each Mitsubishi Regional Jet is powered by two PurePower PW1200G engines. To date, Pratt & Whitney has announced orders for more than 2,800 PurePower engines, including options. The PurePower family of engines uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core deliver the improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions and noise. 

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Air Astana Selects Pratt & Whitney PW4000-94” Engines in Deal Valued at $90 Million

Air Astana has selected Pratt & Whitney’s PW4000-94” engine for its order of three firm and one option Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft. The contract is valued at approximately $90 million. Delivery of the engines will start in 2013.

Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan and best airline in Central Asia, was incorporated in 2001 and is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The airline’s fleet of 26 aircraft offers service to around 50 domestic and international locations. Air Astana is IOSA registered and has four Skytrax stars. 

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Pratt & Whitney: Power People Depend On

This video was produced for use on the Pratt & Whitney exhibit at the Farnborough Air show.

Pratt & Whitney and JetBlue Airways Finalize Agreement for PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines for Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW – Pratt & Whitney and JetBlue Airways signed a definitive agreement for PurePower PW1100G-JM engines to power its order of 40 firm A320neo family aircraft finalizing the MOU announced in late 2011. The agreement includes 86 PurePower engines with a long-term PureSolutionSM maintenance service agreement. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2018.

The PurePower engine uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core delivers double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency and environmental emissions as well as a 50 percent reduction in noise. 

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Visit www.purepowerengines.com for more information about the PurePower engine.

Pratt & Whitney Signs Memorandum of Understanding for Exclusive Maintenance Services Agreement with Alba Star Airlines

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Pratt & Whitney has signed a memorandum of understanding for an exclusive maintenance services agreement with Alba Star Airlines to provide engine overhaul services on the airline's fleet of CFM56-3 engines.

According to the memorandum of understanding, under the exclusive five-year agreement, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners will provide engine overhaul services for up to five Alba Star Airlines' CFM56-3 engines, with additional coverage for unplanned repairs, which will help the airline reduce engine overhaul costs and turnaround time thanks to the Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners network's extensive capabilities and customer-tailored solutions. Alba Star Airlines expects to provide its first engine for overhaul to Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' Turkish Engine Center beginning in November 2012.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Engine Alliance Announces GP7200 Engine Enhancements and Marks One Million Flight Hours

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Today the Engine Alliance announced a series of performance and durability enhancements to the GP7200 engine applicable to new engine deliveries that will begin to enter service later this year.

The refinements, to be released into production over the next 18 months, incorporate upgrades to engine clearances and sealing, introduce an improved turbine blade and offer a modest incremental weight reduction. These performance enhancements are in addition to the recently announced demonstrated improvement in GP7200 fuel consumption published in Airbus’ A380 performance handbook – the third positive adjustment since December 2007 – and to a series of weight reductions that put the engine well below production requirements. 

Click here to read the Engine Alliance press release.

Visit www.enginealliance.com for more information about the GP7200 engine.

Pratt & Whitney Offers Service-Proven PW4170 Advantage70™ Engine for Airbus 240 Tonne A330 Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW – Pratt & Whitney will offer its PW4170 Advantage70™ engine, the most reliable and fuel efficient engine available for the A330 aircraft, for the new Airbus 240 tonne A330 aircraft.

With nearly 14 million hours in service, the PW4000-100" engine is the most reliable engine available on the A330 with the lowest delay and cancellation rate of any engine on the A330.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney President Briefs Media at Farnborough

Video Credit: AirInsight, via YouTube

Pratt & Whitney President David Hess provided a business update in a media briefing at the Farnborough Air Show this morning. AirInsight captured this footage of the briefing.

Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G Engine Successfully Completes First Flight Test Program

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW – The Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G engine successfully completed its first flight test program on June 21, following 23 flights and 127 hours on a specially designed stub wing aboard Pratt & Whitney's Boeing 747SP flying test bed.

The flight test program, which began on April 30, successfully validated the PW1200G engine's in-flight performance, operability and control systems. To date, Pratt & Whitney has completed more the 1,500 hours and nearly 6,000 cycles in testing the PW1200G engine, which will power Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation's Mitsubishi Regional Jet.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Celebrates 40 Years of F100 Engine Power

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Pratt & Whitney celebrates 40 years of F100 propulsion, marking the development and delivery of its first F100 engines to support the F-15’s first flight on July 27, 1972. Today, the F100 engine powers the F-15, F-16 and X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS), with an expanding F100 family of variants. Twenty-four customers worldwide have selected the F100 to power their F-15 and F-16 fighter jets over the past 40 years.

Pratt & Whitney’s F100 engine is one of the most successful fighter engines in history. The combat-proven engine has more than 27 million engine flying hours of experience. Pratt & Whitney has built more than 7,200 F100 engines for 23 countries around the world.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Signs Agreement with Australian Supplier Broens Industries for Additional F135 Engine Work

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW - Pratt & Whitney has awarded Broens Industries a follow on purchase order to manufacture complex support equipment for the sustainment solution of the F135 propulsion system powering the F-35 Lightning II. This new order valued at approximately $300,000 is for units which will be utilized at the first operational and training bases in the U.S.

Pratt & Whitney previously awarded Broens Industries a purchase order to develop and prototype complex support equipment specifically for removing and installing the F135 engine gearbox. This new order initiates the production phase of the project, with a potential value estimated at more than $7 million.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Becomes Majority Program Shareholder in IAE

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Today, Pratt & Whitney and IAE International Aero Engines (IAE) shareholders, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation and MTU Aero Engines GmbH, announced details of the June 29 closing of Pratt & Whitney’s agreement to purchase Rolls-Royce’s program share in the IAE Collaboration. Pratt & Whitney has increased its program share to 61 percent and MTU Aero Engines has increased its program share from 11 to 16 percent via a separate risk revenue sharing agreement with Pratt & Whitney. In addition, IAE announced that the IAE board of directors has named Pratt & Whitney President David Hess Chairman of the board of directors and Jon Beatty as the new IAE president.

The program share purchased from Rolls-Royce is held by a Pratt & Whitney wholly-owned subsidiary named Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH (P&WAEI) headquartered in Luzern, Switzerland. P&WAEI will assume responsibilities and obligations in the IAE collaboration for most parts and sourcing previously handled through Rolls-Royce.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Norwegian Air Shuttle Selects Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines to Power Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW – Pratt & Whitney and Norwegian Air Shuttle signed a memorandum of understanding to power 50 firm Airbus A320neo family aircraft with PurePower PW1100G-JM engines with first delivery scheduled in 2016.

The PurePower engine uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core delivers fuel efficiency and environmental benefits. The first PurePower PW1100G-JM engine is scheduled to begin testing by the end of this year.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Cebu Pacific Air Selects Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines to Power Airbus A321neo Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Cebu Pacific Air (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’ largest carrier, has selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM engines for its order of 30 firm and 10 option A321neo aircraft. The agreement also includes a ten-year PureSolutionSM maintenance package for each engine. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017.

The PurePower engine uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core delivers fuel efficiency and environmental benefits.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Pratt & Whitney and IndiGo Finalize Agreement for 300 PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Pratt & Whitney and IndiGo signed a definitive agreement for PurePower PW1100G-JM engines for 150 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The agreement includes 300 firm PurePower PW1100G-JM engines with additional options and a long-term PureSolutionSM maintenance agreement. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2015.

As part of this agreement, each IndiGo Airbus A320neo family aircraft will be powered by two PurePower PW1100G-JM engines with benefits including double-digit reductions in fuel burn, environmental emissions, engine noise and operating costs when compared with today’s engines.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

CIT and Pratt & Whitney Finalize Agreement for PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines for Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a global leader in transportation finance, and Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced from the Farnborough International Air Show that they signed a definitive agreement for 60 PurePower PW1100G engines for CIT’s order of Airbus A320neo family aircraft. This agreement follows the memorandum of understanding previously announced at the Paris Air Show in 2011. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2016.


Each CIT Aerospace Pratt & Whitney-powered neo family aircraft will be powered by two PurePower PW1100G-JM engines with benefits including double-digit reductions in fuel burn, environmental emissions, engine noise and operating costs when compared with today’s engines.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Expands Global JT9D Repair Network with Israel Aerospace Industries

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Pratt & Whitney and Israel Aerospace Industries have signed a 10-year agreement to establish Israel Aerospace Industries as a Designated Service Provider for JT9D engine family maintenance.

Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek Aviation Group located at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel, is a high quality provider of MRO services, and engine and component maintenance services for a wide range of military and commercial customers worldwide.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Shanghai Airlines Signs Three-Year Agreement for Pratt & Whitney Engine Management Programs

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Shanghai Airlines has signed a three-year Pratt & Whitney Engine Management Program agreement, which includes on-wing engine monitoring and data analysis recommendations for the airline’s fleet of 10 PW2037-powered Boeing 757-200 aircraft.

Under the agreement, Pratt & Whitney’s team of skilled engine performance analysts will use its web-based Advanced Diagnostics & Engine Management (ADEM™) tools to monitor engine health and make maintenance recommendations to help Shanghai Airlines maintain world-class reliability and lower maintenance costs.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Delivers First Engines for Boeing C-17s to India

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW - Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has delivered the first four F117 engines for the Indian Air Force to power its fleet of Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. India’s Ministry of Defence signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government in 2011 to acquire 10 C-17s. India will take delivery of its first C-17s in mid 2013.

Four F117s provide exclusive power for the C-17 Globemaster III, the world’s premier heavy airlifter. The F117-PW-100 is the sister engine of Pratt & Whitney’s PW2040 commercial engine, which powers the Boeing 757. With more than 50 million hours of proven military and commercial use, the F117/PW2037 has proven itself as a world-class, dependable engine. Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements has enabled the engine to continuously surpass established goals for time on wing, in-flight shut downs and support-turnaround time.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Pratt & Whitney Welcomes Airbus A320 Family Assembly Line to United States

Pratt & Whitney welcomed an Airbus announcement on July 2 that it will establish a manufacturing facility in the United States to assemble and deliver A320 family aircraft. The new Airbus plant will be located at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama, and it will be Airbus’ first U.S.-based production facility. Pratt & Whitney provides engines for the entire Airbus A320 family of aircraft - the PurePower® PW1100G-JM engine and the V2500 engine through IAE International Aero Engines.

To date, Pratt & Whitney has announced 976 firm engine orders for the PurePower PW1100G-JM engines for the A320neo family of aircraft. The PW1100G-JM engine will be the first engine to power the world’s best-selling narrowbody aircraft when it enters service in 2015.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

• Airbus Opening 1st Plant in U.S.; Pratt Welcomes News (Hartford Courant)
• Low-cost manufacturing lures Airbus to Boeing's back yard (Flight International)
• EADS to Build U.S. Assembly Line for Airbus A320 (New York Times)
• Airbus To Build Planes In Alabama, Challenging Boeing (Bloomberg News)
• Oohlalabama! Airbus finally goes American (Reuters)
• Airbus To Deliver A320s From Mobile In 2016 (Aviation Week)

Three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68A Engines Power Delta IV Heavy Upgrade Vehicle on Inaugural Flight

Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet, via YouTube

The sky rumbled and the ground shook as the three most powerful hydrogen-fueled liquid rocket engines ever built successfully boosted a U.S. government satellite into orbit on June 29. Developed by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, the RS-68A engines thundered into the sky on their inaugural launch, boosting a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from the pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Once above Earth’s atmosphere, the reliable Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10B-2 engine provided upper-stage propulsion.

The RS-68A is a liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine designed to provide increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency for the Delta IV family of launch vehicles. It evolved from the RS-68 engine, which was developed and certified for commercial use with private company funds. Each RS-68A provides 702,000 pounds of lift-off thrust, or 39,000 more pounds of thrust than the RS-68 engine, with increased combustion efficiency as well. During hot-fire tests, the RS-68A engine demonstrated the ability to operate for 4,800 seconds of cumulative run time – more than 10 times what’s needed to boost the Delta IV Heavy rocket into space.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release. 

Coverage:

• Delta IV launch: Secret, but very loud (Florida Today)
• World's most powerful rocket launches secret US satellite (Christian Science Monitor)
• Delta IV rocket launch from Cape Canaveral video (ABC Action News)
• Delta IV rocket launches into space (WMKG Orlando)

Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce Close on Deal for Program Share in IAE

Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, closed June 29 on its agreement to purchase Rolls-Royce’s program share in IAE International Aero Engines (“IAE”). More information about the closing will be announced by IAE at the Farnborough Air Show on July 9.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release. 

Coverage:

• R-R Divests IAE Holding, Unveils Partners For New Joint Venture (Aviation Week)
• Rolls-Royce Sells Stake In IAE Collaboration for $1.5 Billion (Dow Jones)
• Pratt & Whitney closes on buyout of Rolls-Royce’s IAE shares (Air Transport World)

Pratt & Whitney PurePower Engine Soaring Toward Certification

The Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine is soaring toward certification with flawless flight tests. Watch all the latest action in this new video. The PurePower engine is real. It works. It's ready.

Visit www.purepowerengine.com to learn more about the award-winning PW1000G engine.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Completes CCDev-2 Hot-Fire Testing on Thruster for NASA's Commercial Crew Program

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed a series of hot-fire tests on a service module thruster for Boeing's Commercial Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft. The CST-100 spacecraft, designed to transport people to the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit destinations, is in development under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The Orbital Maneuvering and Attitude Control System (OMAC) thruster is a key component for safe, reliable and affordable commercial crew transportation. It is designed for multiple uses, including maneuvering the CST-100 spacecraft during orbit and re-entry, and providing axial thrust, roll control and separation from the launch vehicle if an abort becomes necessary.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

• Pratt completes thrust test on space station craft (Hartford Business Journal)
• Thruster Tests Completed for Boeing's CST-100 (Space Fellowship)
• Rocketdyne finishes Boeing CST-100 thruster testing (Flight International)
• Boeing says its space taxi engines have passed a testing hurdle (Huntsville Times)
• Thruster Tests Completed for Boeing's CST-100 (NASA)

Pratt & Whitney Celebrates the Inauguration of a New Middle East Propulsion Company Facilit

The Middle East Propulsion Company (MEPC), a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney’s parent company United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX), Saudi Arabian Airlines, Mohawearean Aviation Services Company and MTU Aero Engines has opened a new aircraft-engine maintenance facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to handle increasing needs for maintenance and repair of military aircraft engines in the region.

The 194,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will easily accommodate forecast growth in both existing and new product lines. MEPC has been the overhaul provider of choice for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F100-PW-220/220E engines since it opened in 2001. The facility’s current product lines also include the RB199 engines for RSAF’s Tornado aircraft, the T56 engines for the C-130 and Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6 for the PC-9 Pilatus. Growth plans include expanding the facility’s portfolio to include engines for military helicopters, tanks and others vehicles.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage: 

• MEPC moves into state of the art facility in Saudi Arabia (defpro)
• U.S. group opens new MRO unit in Saudi (Trade Arabia)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers Atlas V Upper Stage

Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet, via YouTube

In another awesome display of consistent and reliable rocket launch propulsion, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and RD AMROSS successfully propelled a critical U.S. government satellite into orbit on June 20. The spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is fueled by kerosene/liquid oxygen mixture, provides an environmentally-clean operation, and uses an extremely efficient, high-pressure staged combustion cycle.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne press release. 

Coverage:

• Atlas V Launches Launches NRO Spysat (Space Daily)
• Hush, Hush US Spy Satellite Blasts Off Atop Milestone Atlas Rocket (Universe Today)
• Air Force Launches US Spy Satellite on Secret Mission (SPACE.com) 

Pratt & Whitney Expands Global Network with South African Airways Technical

Pratt & Whitney and South African Airways Technical (SAAT) have signed an agreement to perform JT9D-7R4G2 repair work at SAAT’s Johannesburg facility. Pratt & Whitney will also work with SAAT to expand the facility’s aftermarket services in the future.

South African Airways Technical is the largest and most advanced full-service maintenance, repair and overhaul organization on the African continent. Fully Federal Aviation Administration-certified since the early 1990s, SAAT serves an increasing number of local, regional and international airlines.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release. 

Coverage:

• SAA Technical Signs Engine Repair and Overhaul Deal with Major US Group (Creamer Media Engineering News)
• SAAT Signs Deal with Pratt & Whitney (fin24)
• Pratt & Whitney Signs Repair Agreement with South African Airways Technical (AviationPros)

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems Announces New FT8 Depot Facility

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems announced today at the POWER-GEN Europe exhibition that Iberia Maintenance, the Maintenance and Engineering division of Iberia Airlines, has been selected to provide depot support services for the fleet of GG8 gas generators in the European region. The facility, located in Madrid, Spain, joins a network of worldwide depot facilities for P&W Power Systems.

The Maintenance & Engineering division of Iberia Airlines is well known for its experience as a world-class aircraft engine repair facility, specializing in the repair of several types of engines, including Pratt & Whitney’s successful JT8 engine from which the GG8 was derived. Iberia was selected with the European customer in mind, based on its ideal location for the European customer base, and its extensive in-house component repair and technical capabilities.

Under the terms of the license agreement, Iberia will deal directly with Pratt & Whitney Power Systems’ customers for depot services. Customers will interact directly with Iberia for everything from planning shop visits, logistics, and work scope, to reports and invoicing. PWPS will support Iberia with certain component repairs, all spare parts, technical publications, and engineering services. The Iberia facility is expected to begin servicing GG8 gas generators before the end of the year.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Pratt & Whitney, Italian Air Force Celebrate Successful F-16 'Peace Caesar' and F100 Fleet Management Programs

Pratt & Whitney and the Italian Air Force celebrated the highly successful Peace Caesar F-16 lease program and supporting Pratt & Whitney F100 Fleet Management Program during the F-16 departure ceremony on May 23 at Trapani Air Base, Italy. The Performance Based Logistics program was designed to provide affordable readiness for the Italian Air Force fleet when they began to operate the F-16 in 2003.

The program capitalized on the unique resources of Pratt & Whitney, the United States Air Force and Italian Air Force including partnering with the Italian Air Force maintenance team at Cervia Air Base for engine maintenance. The team managed Italy’s F100-PW-220 engines through nine years of operation and 47,000 flight hours.

The Pratt & Whitney-powered fleet of F-16 fighters flew key missions for the Italian Air Force at home and abroad. Italy’s F-16s played an important role in the Italian Air Force’s support of recent NATO peacekeeping missions, and in several notable domestic missions, including the Papal inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI, the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2009 G8 Summit.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release. 

Pratt & Whitney, Irkut Sign Definitive Agreement for PurePower® PW1400G Engine for MC-21 Aircraft Family

Pratt & Whitney and Russia’s Irkut Corporation signed a definitive agreement to offer the Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1400G engine on Irkut’s MC-21 family of aircraft. This secures the PurePower engine as the only western powerplant offered on the new narrow body program.

Irkut is developing the MC-21 as a family of 150 to 210-passenger aircraft with first flight of the PurePower® PW1400G engined aircraft planned for 2015 and entry into service in 2017. The MC-21 series will feature jetliners with 25,000-32,000 pounds of thrust.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release. 

Coverage:

• Irkut and P&W Sign Definitive Agreement (AirInsight)
• Pratt & Whitney, Irkut Seal PW1400G Deal for MC-21 (Aviation International News)
• Irkut selects PW1400G for MC-21 (Air Transport World)
• Irkut Signs $1 Bln Pratt & Whitney Engine Deal (RIA Novosti)

Paul Adams Inducted Into Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering

Paul Adams, Pratt & Whitney’s senior vice president of Operations & Engineering, was recently inducted into the distinguished Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering (CASE) for his outstanding contributions to jet propulsion technology.

Adams was recognized for his technical leadership in the engineering development and production of game-changing technological products such as Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engine and the F135 engine that powers the F-35 Lightning II.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release. 

Coverage:

• CASE honors Pratt engine-designer Paul Adams (Hartford Business Journal)

Croswell Talks Engine Upgrades in Flight's 'In Focus'

Bennett Croswell, president, Military Engines, discusses the possibility of commercial engine technologies driving the next round of military engine upgrades in an "In Focus" feature in Flight International.

"With the [A320]neo launch we have yet another core we can explore," Croswell said.

Read the full story on the Flight International website. 

Pratt & Whitney Launches PurePulse Waterjet Technology

Pratt & Whitney is launching a new service called PurePulse™ waterjet technology. This closed-loop, forced pulse waterjet system is a patented way to strip chrome, HVOF (high velocity oxygen fuel) and other coatings from parts and machinery, saving customers time and money.

PurePulse technology is the leading environmentally friendly hard coatings removal service available on the market today. It can replace chemical dipping and grinding and has a system that reuses filtered water. With this technology, no abrasives or chemicals are needed to remove coatings.

Pratt & Whitney Automation, Inc. (PWA) based in Huntsville, Ala., is now available to provide this forced pulse waterjet coatings removal service.

Click here to read the full press release. 

Coverage:

• Pratt Introduces Novel Metal-Stripping Service (Hartford Business Journal)

Pratt & Whitney Establishes Engineering Center of Excellence at Iowa State University

Pratt & Whitney has established a strategic research partnership with Iowa State University to improve gas turbine engine technology for aerospace applications. The five-year initiative establishes a Pratt & Whitney Center of Excellence at Iowa State University.

Research projects will focus on three areas:

• Non-destructive evaluation of engine components.
• Materials design and testing.
• Aerospace thermal systems.

Click here to read the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Read more on the Iowa State University College of Engineering website. 

P&WC Begins Compressor Demo for Next Generation Regional Turboprop Engine

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has begun testing of the compressor for the next generation regional turboprop engine, a key step in the company's technology demonstrator program. The high-efficiency compressor is a core element of the new engine and the test hardware has already run to the full range of aerodynamic design points. Key engine characteristics such as component efficiency and pressure ratio will be validated by the demonstration program, bringing the best technology forward.

"The next generation turboprop engine is a totally new centerline engine that will deliver a 20 per cent improvement in fuel burn over today's fleet using the latest technologies of our next generation product families," said Richard Dussault, vice president, Marketing, P&WC. "Our new engine will deliver the economic and environmental benefits that will sustain the regional turboprop's competitive advantage for airlines serving short-haul, high-frequency routes."

P&WC's PW100 family of engines has led the regional turboprop segment since entering service more than 25 years ago. The company has more than 200 million hours of flying experience in the regional turboprop segment.

Click here to read the full press release from Pratt & Whitney Canada. 

P&WC Sees Regional Turboprop Demand Flying High for Next Decade

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) continues to see a sustained demand for regional turboprop aircraft and estimates a market for 3,000 regional turboprop aircraft in the next 20 years, with the majority of the regional aircraft in the 70 to 100 seat capacity.

"We are experiencing excellent growth in the regional turboprop market and believe demand will only increase," said Richard Dussault, vice president, Marketing, P&WC. "Deliveries of turboprops have grown steadily at P&WC since 2003. All indicators point to an acceleration of demand and we have taken the right steps to ensure that we can meet that demand in a timely manner, with products that exceed our customers' expectations."

Click here to read the full press release from Pratt & Whitney Canada. 

Hess: ‘It's a Transformational Period in Our Core Engine Businesses'

Video Credit: Royal Aeronautical Society, via YouTube

Pratt & Whitney President David Hess was the guest of honor at the Royal Aeronautical Society's annual banquet in London on May 16. The event typically draws 400 to 500 guests from all sectors of aerospace and aligns with the society's mission of advancing aeronautical art, science and engineering around the world.

While in London, Hess was interviewed by Tim Robinson of the Royal Aeronautical Society. In the 23-minute interview, Hess fielded general questions about Pratt & Whitney's business and provided an update on the development of the PurePower engine. The interview also covered the company's aftermarket business, focus areas – performance, cost reduction – on the F135 engine program, the history of the geared turbofan concept and step changes in engine efficiency over time.

Speaking in his role as chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association, Hess also described the biggest challenge – budget sequestration – facing the aerospace and defense industry in the United States.

Pratt & Whitney Canada Bids 'Adieu' to 720B Flying Test Bed

Pratt & Whitney Canada's trusty Boeing 720B Flying Test Bed (FTB1), dubbed "Red" because of its hallmark red and white livery, ceremoniously tipped its wings during low-pass flybys over St-Hubert, Longueuil and Mirabel on May 9. The aircraft then made its way to a well-deserved retirement, and eventual permanent display, at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario.

FTB1 - the last operational Boeing 720B in the world - made 2,444 flights for Pratt & Whitney Canada between 1985 and 2010.

Coverage:

• Last Flight For Boeing 720 (AvWeb)
• Historic Landing A Success (Trentonian)
• Historic Final Landing for Boeing 720 (Canadian Skies)
• Historic Landing in Trenton Wednesday (Belleville Intelligencer)
• More Aviation History Right Here in Montreal (Montreal Gazette)

Phenomenal! Pratt & Whitney Canada Congratulates Embraer

Embraer announced recently that it has delivered its 300th Phenom business jet, an impressive milestone for an aircraft that entered into service only in 2008. The Phenom 100 and 300 business jets are powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW617F-E and the PW535E engines, respectively.

"The success of the Embraer Phenom family of aircraft is a testament to the aircraft's appeal in this segment of the business jet market," said David Van der Wee, vice president, Marketing, P&WC. "Powered by P&WC engines specifically designed for these complimentary market segments, the Phenom delivers excellent operating value and superior environmental performance."

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Canada's press release.

Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G Engine Begins First Flight Test Program

The Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G engine successfully completed its first flight on April 30, launching the engine family’s flight test program. The PW1217G engine for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft flew on a specially designed stub wing aboard Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747SP flying test bed at the company’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre, in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada.

Monarch Air Commits to Fuel Savings and Emissions Reductions with Pratt & Whitney’s EcoFlight™ Solutions

Monarch Airlines selected Pratt & Whitney’s fuel conservation program, EcoFlight Solutions, reaching a 5-year agreement. The EcoFlight Solutions team has already commenced work with Monarch Airlines to develop and implement fuel-saving solutions for the airline’s fleet of 32 aircraft.

EcoFlight Solutions can typically save an airline 3 to 8 percent in fuel costs annually, even for airlines with fuel conservation programs already in place. Pratt & Whitney offers EcoFlight Solutions in collaboration with Flight Sciences International, a leading provider of fuel conservation programs, and Aviaso Inc., a leading provider of fuel efficiency software. EcoFlight Solutions leverages Pratt & Whitney and Flight Sciences International's proven services, including aircraft fuel consumption optimization, EcoPower® engine wash, advanced engine monitoring and line maintenance support -- all of which can help airlines reduce fuel consumption and improve environmental performance.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Propulsion Orbits Critical Communications Satellite for U.S. Military

Video Credit: SpaceVidsNet via YouTube

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne upperstage propulsion successfully orbited the second in a series of Advanced Extremely High-Frequency (AEHF) communications satellites for the U.S. military, once again demonstrating the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the upper-stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine.

The AEHF is a joint service satellite communications system that will provide global communications for military troops within all services of the U.S. Department of Defense. The spacecraft will be used to relay highly secure and jam-resistant communications for the Armed Forces of the United States, the British Armed Forces, the Canadian Forces and the military of the Netherlands. When fully deployed, the system will consist of four spacecraft that travel in geostationary orbits.

The Atlas V Centaur upper-stage is powered by a single RL10A4-2 engine that delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust. The Atlas V Common Core booster is powered by the RD-180 engine and delivers nearly 1 million pounds of thrust. The RD-180 is the only liquid oxygen/kerosene-fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's press release.

Coverage:

• Second AEHF Military Communications Satellite Launched (Space Daily)
• Air Force launches advanced communications satellite (MSNBC)
• Next Generation Military Communications Satellite Launched for US Air Force (Universe Today)
• Satellite for secure war-time communications goes up (Spaceflight Now)

Pratt & Whitney Delivers 50th F135 Engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Pratt & Whitney has successfully delivered the 50th production F135 engine – powering Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II – to the U.S. Department of Defense.

The 50th engine is scheduled to be installed in a F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) for the United States Navy. The F-35C aircraft will be delivered to Eglin Air Force Base for Navy pilot training.

Pratt & Whitney remains committed to increasing production levels while decreasing costs. To date, Pratt & Whitney and its suppliers have been able to reduce the cost by more than 25 percent on the CV/Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) engine, compared to the original test engines. Engine production output in 2012 is expected to double from 2011, as was demonstrated from 2010 to 2011.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Related Coverage:

•  Pratt & Whitney Bets Big Profits Loom, If F-35 Stays Healthy (AOL Defense)

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems to Deliver Biomass Heat Recovery Power Plant for West Fraser Timber Company

Pratt & Whitney Power Systems has been awarded a contract to deliver a 13 MW biomass heat recovery power plant for West Fraser Timber Company in British Columbia, Canada. The state-of-the-art power plant will provide clean, carbon-neutral power to the company’s Chetwynd Forest Industries plant utilizing two Turboden 65 HRS Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbogenerators. Turboden is a Pratt & Whitney Power Systems company.

West Fraser is a leading wood products company with operations in western Canada and the southern United States, producing softwood lumber, MDF, plywood, pulp, newsprint, laminated veneer lumber and wood chips. The installation of the ORC unit at West Fraser’s Chetwynd facility is a part of efforts to improve operational efficiency.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage: 

• West Fraser Timber Company to Install 13 MW Biomass Plant, Sell Power to Utility (Environmental Leader)
• Biomass power plant to be built in Canada (Power Engineering)
• Pratt biomass burner sold to B.C. timber firm (Hartford Business Journal)

British Sky Broadcasting, Heathrow Airport Embrace Renewable Energy

Turboden recently entered the UK market with awards for two biomass-fueled Combined Cooling, Heat and Power plants for two of the country’s most well known institutions - British Sky Broadcasting and Heathrow Airport. Both will receive clean, carbon-neutral power by utilizing Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbogenerators. Turboden is a Pratt & Whitney Power Systems company.

British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (BSkyB) is a public satellite broadcasting company operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is the largest pay-TV broadcaster in the United Kingdom with over 10 million subscribers. BSkyB is developing a 1 MW CCHP plant as an integral part of its carbon cutting emissions plans for its new studio, editing and transmission and data facility.

BAA Airports Limited, which operates six airports in the UK, including London Heathrow, is installing Turboden’s second ORC plant in the UK. London Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, serving some 180 destinations in more than 90 countries. Turboden’s biomass-fuelled CCHP ORC unit at London Heathrow will use clean wood waste to produce 1.8 MW of electricity and 8MW of thermal heat and cooling to Terminals T2a and T2b, and heat only to Terminal T5. Construction of the Heathrow plant is almost complete and start-up is expected by summer.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

• Turboden Expands into UK Market with 2 Organic Rankine Cycle Biomass Power Plants (Utility Products)
• Turboden Develops Organic Rankine Cycle Biomass Power Plants in UK (AZ CleanTech)
• Heathrow and Kings Cross to start engines on CHP systems (Business Green)
• BSkyB and Heathrow select Turboden for CCHP plants (The Engineer)
• Energia, nuovo modulo ORC di Turboden a Heathrow (9 colonne)

P&W President Gives 'State of the Business' Briefing

(Video Credit: AirInsight, via YouTube)

Pratt & Whitney President David Hess provided a business briefing during Pratt & Whitney Media Day on Wednesday. The overview included program highlights from Commercial Engines (including a PurePower engine update), Military Engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Pratt & Whitney Power Systems.

Coverage:

• Pratt & Whitney’s David Hess Gives Upbeat Briefing (AirInsight)
• Pratt & Whitney chief sees long-term aerospace strength after a few ‘transitional’ years (Associated Press)
• A Flyover Highlights Pratt & Whitney's Plans for Dramatic Growth (Hartford Courant)

Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G Engine Takes to the Skies

The Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1200G engine successfully completed its first flight on April 30, launching the engine family’s flight test program. The PW1217G engine for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft flew on a specially designed stub wing aboard Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747SP flying test bed at the company’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre, in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada.

This initial PW1200G flight test program will validate performance, engine operability and in-flight starting.

Coverage:

• P&W begins MRJ GTF flight tests (Air Transport World)
• Pratt & Whitney Starts Flight Tests Of MRJ Engine (Aviation Week)

P&W Canada 747SP Visits Connecticut

Low-flying 747 in East Hartford: wtnh.com 

The Pratt & Whitney Canada 747SP flying test bed flew over the Pratt & Whitney facilities in East Hartford and Middletown, Conn., on Wednesday. The aircraft, visiting Connecticut for Pratt & Whitney's Media Day, has a PurePower PW1217G engine on a specially designed stub wing. The engine successfully completed its first flight on April 30.

Coverage:

• A Flyover Highlights Pratt & Whitney's Plans for Dramatic Growth (Fox 61)
• 747 Makes Low Pass Over Hartford Area (NBC 30)
• Low-Flying 747 in East Hartford (WTNH)
• 747 Flies Low Over Greater Hartford Towns (WFSB)

Hess Discusses Benefits of PurePower Engine in Bloomberg Interview

Pratt & Whitney President David Hess was interviewed by Willow Bay of Bloomberg News at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday. Airlines need more efficient aircraft with fuel efficient engines, Hess said, and Pratt & Whitney’s new engine technology can help.

Visit http://www.purepowerengine.com/ to learn more about Pratt & Whitney's PurePower engine.

PW210 Engine to Power Eurocopter's X4 Helicopter

Pratt & Whitney Canada's (P&WC) PW210 engine has been selected by Eurocopter to power the next-generation X4 helicopter. The PW210-powered X4 is expected to enter into service by 2017.

The PW210 engine - the latest in P&WC's turboshaft product line - is powering a new era in helicopter flight with three applications confirmed. By the time the X4 enters service in 2017, the PW210 family will have accumulated well over half a million flying hours across the three platforms.

The PW210 is a state-of-the art engine that is designed to meet all the requirements of the most modern helicopters.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Canada's press release.

PT6C-67E Engine for Eurocopter EC175 Certified, Moves into Production

Pratt & Whitney Canada has received Transport Canada type certification for the PT6C-67E turboshaft engine that will power Eurocopter's EC175 helicopter. The Eurocopter EC175 is a new commercial multirole helicopter and the PT6C-67E is the latest turboshaft engine in the PT6C-67 family for the medium class helicopter segment.

The PT6C-67E builds on the experience of the PT6 family of turboprop and turboshaft engines, bringing unmatched reliability to a market where dispatch, availability and safety are paramount. The PT6C-67E incorporates Pratt & Whitney Canada's latest technological innovations for enhanced power and fuel efficiency, for longer range, increased payload and enhanced pilot experience to the EC175.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Canada's press release.

Turkish Engine Center Delivers 100th Overhauled Engine to Turkish Airlines

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' Turkish Engine Center recently celebrated delivery of its 100th overhauled CFM56® engine to Turkish Airlines. The Turkish Engine Center is a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. and Turkish Technic, a division of Turkish Airlines.

The Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners Turkish Engine Center is a state-of-the art facility with extensive part repair capacity that helps reduce engine overhaul costs and turnaround times. Pratt & Whitney, together with Turkish Technic, opened the high-technology and environmentally efficient facility in 2010. It is Pratt & Whitney's first engine center in Turkey and is part of the company's Global Service Partners network providing engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to customers worldwide. The facility meets the Gold standard of the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) rating system.

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney's press release.

P&WC Powers Canada's First Biofuel-Powered Revenue Flight

Porter Airlines successfully conducted the first biofuel-powered revenue flight in Canada on April 17. In the successful conclusion to a test program that was launched in 2010, the airline flew one of its Bombardier Q400 turboprops from its base at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Ottawa using a 50/50 blend of biofuel and Jet A1 fuel in one of its engines.

This is the final step in a two-year project whose key members are Targeted Growth, Bombardier Aerospace, Pratt and Whitney Canada, the manufacturer of the PW150A engines that power the Q400 aircraft, and Porter Airlines. Funding for the biofuel test program was provided by the key partners, as well as by Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) through the Green Aviation Research & Development Network (GARDN).

Click here to read Pratt & Whitney Canada's press release.

Coverage:

• Porter Airlines operates Q400 biofuel flight (Air Transport World)