Dependable Engines: Pratt & Whitney In The News

CPTV's 'All Things Connecticut' Features PurePower Engine

2012-03-08T04:19:00.002-08:00

The PurePower® engine was recently featured on Connecticut Public Television's "All Things Connecticut." The "Treading Lightly" segment features Connecticut people and businesses that work to improve the environment.

The PurePower engine segment featured interviews with Bob Saia, vice president, Next Generation Product Family, Alan Epstein, vice president, Technology and Environment and Dave Foster, product line manager, Next Generation Product Family. The segment explores the numerous benefits of the PurePower engine.

Click here to watch the segment on the CPTV website.

North Berwick Parts Center Featured in Bangor Daily News

2012-03-05T14:52:00.003-08:00

The Bangor (Maine) Daily News recently featured the Pratt & Whitney North Berwick Parts Center in its business section. The North Berwick plant, the largest manufacturing facility under one roof in Maine, makes commercial parts, military parts and does some aftermarket work.

The story describes how the North Berwick facility has invested in its operations in an effort to remain competitive and to prepare for the future. Our favorite quote comes from Steve Howe, a communications manager:

“We bring high school groups in here and they’re amazed that this is manufacturing. We’re not making hub caps — this is high-tech.”

Click here to read the full story in the Bangor Daily News.

UTC Celebrates $1 Billion Investment in Employee Scholar Program

2012-03-01T05:13:00.002-08:00

United Technologies believes strongly in the value of lifelong learning. That’s why the Employee Scholar Program was established in 1996 – to support employees in reaching their career and educational goals. A workforce that embraces lifelong learning is best prepared to compete in the fast-changing global marketplace.

A highly educated, innovative workforce is absolutely critical to UTC's success. To make it happen, UTC has invested more than $1 billion over the past 15 years, paying up front all costs of tuition, fees and books – and that goes for employees pursuing a college degree in any field of their choosing.

Employees in more than 50 countries around the world have seized the opportunity, earning more than 32,500 degrees through the program. Today there are more than 10,000 UTC employees around the world enrolled.

Coverage:

UTC Marks $1 Billion Employee Education Milestone (Hartford Courant)
Give UTC Credit For Employee Education (Editorial - Hartford Courant)
United Technologies celebrates higher ed program (Boston Globe, via AP)
Gov. Malloy Makes A Stop In Simsbury (Simsbury Patch)
Malloy tells Obama about job creation in state (The Day)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Powers 200th Mission of Centaur Rocket, Places Communications Satellite for U.S. Navy into Orbit

2012-02-27T08:03:00.002-08:00

[Video credit: United Launch Alliance, via YouTube]

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne once again demonstrated the consistent reliability of its propulsion systems by successfully powering the Centaur upper-stage rocket on its 200th mission and placing the first in a series of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) communications satellites for the U.S. Navy into orbit. The payload 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 Centaur 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 the only liquid oxygen/kerosene fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

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

Click here to read the United Launch Alliance press release. (Includes a photo gallery.)

Coverage:

Atlas V lifts US Navy satellite into orbit (Flight International)
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne powers Centaur rocket placing U.S. Navy MUOS communications satellite into orbit (Avionics Intelligence)

Lieberman: 'I'm Going To Fight To Keep That Eagle Flying High and Strong'

2012-02-23T04:19:00.003-08:00

U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman visited Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Conn., this week. Company leaders, including P&W President Dave Hess, took time to thank the senator for his support throughout his four terms in the U.S. Senate. Lieberman has supported the Pratt & Whitney-powered F-22 Raptor, C-17 Globemaster III, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the selection of Boeing and Pratt & Whitney for the Air Force aerial tanker contract.

Lieberman offered his ongoing support with some encouraging words for the employees gathered in the P&W Museum:

" ... As hard as we fight, and as much as we've learned about how to fight successfully in Congress, we wouldn't be successful unless you here at Pratt & Whitney turned out the best damn jet engines in the world."

" ... I'm going to continue fighting for Connecticut and for Pratt & Whitney right until that last day next January. And I'm going to fight to keep that eagle flying high and strong because I know that when the eagle flies high and strong, America is well protected. And I know that that eagle has under his great wings thousands of jobs for thousands of great workers and managers here in Connecticut."

Coverage:

Pratt Rally Is Going-Away Party For Lieberman (Hartford Courant)
Pratt & Whitney Employees, Thankful But Anxious About F-35 Sales, Hail Lieberman (Hartford Courant)

Gearing Up for Certification: PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ Engine Test Program Progressing Rapidly

2012-02-15T23:04:00.000-08:00

Continuing its engine certification program, Pratt & Whitney has initiated certification icing testing for its PurePower PW1524G engine that will power the Bombardier* Cseries* aircraft family. The company anticipates completing engine certification by the end of 2012.

To date the PW1524G engine test program has run more than 1,200 hours of full engine testing – including more than 200 flight hours on its 747 flight test airplane. The PurePower PW1200G engine for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet has completed more than 600 hours of full engine testing and is scheduled to begin its first flight test campaign in April. Certification testing for the PW1200G engine is scheduled to begin by the end of the second quarter. These first two PurePower engine applications have accumulated more than 1,800 hours and 4,800 cycles of full engine testing.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Completes J-2X Powerpack Test

2012-02-15T20:45:00.001-08:00

Video Credit: NASA / SSC

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed the first in a series of powerpack hot-fire tests on the J-2X engine, which is being developed for NASA to power humans further into space than ever before. Powerpack tests are designed to evaluate the full range of operating conditions of the engine's components during flight. NASA selected the J-2X as the upper-stage propulsion for the Space Launch System (SLS) – an advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The powerpack consists of components on the top portion of the engine, including the gas generator, the oxygen and fuel turbopumps, and the ducts, valves, and controls that bring the propellants together to drive the turbines of the two turbopumps. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will perform hot-fire tests on the powerpack through summer, using varying pressures, temperatures and flow rates to ensure the engine is ready to support exploration to low-Earth orbit, Mars and possibly beyond.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

NASA Performs J-2X Powerpack Test (RedOrbit)
J-2X engine powerpack tested (UPI)

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners Signs Maintenance Agreements with Japan Airlines

2012-02-15T18:19:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 15, 2012 – Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. has selected Pratt & Whitney for a Fleet Management Program agreement and a part repair agreement to provide maintenance for the airline's Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft engines and engine parts.

Under the Fleet Management agreement, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' Singapore-based Eagle Services Asia engine overhaul facility will provide maintenance services for the airline's PW4090 engines. Pratt & Whitney will also provide part repair services for the airline's fleet of Pratt & Whitney PW4074, PW4077 and JT9D engines through the Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners part repair network. These seven-year agreements are expected to be worth a combined value of approximately $450 million to Pratt & Whitney over the life of their terms.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt inks $450M Japan maintenance deals (Hartford Business Journal)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne to Power Centaur Rocket Mission

2012-02-15T09:00:00.001-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will power the Centaur upper-stage rocket on its 200th mission and to place the first in a series of Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) communications satellites for the U.S. Navy into orbit on Feb. 16. The launch is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A4-2 engine providing the upper-stage propulsion.

The payload will launch 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 Centaur is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10A4-2 engine, which delivers 22,300 pounds of thrust.

Editor's note: The launch has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 24.

Pratt & Whitney Teaches Singapore Polytechnic Students to Power the Future

2012-02-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW – Singapore, Feb. 15, 2012 – Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and Pratt & Whitney signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today enabling students to participate in an Overseas Industrial Training Program (OITP) at Pratt & Whitney’s Customer Training Center in China.

The MOU extends an agreement initially signed by SP and Pratt & Whitney at the 2010 Singapore Air Show. To date, more than 150 students have participated in the program. Pratt & Whitney anticipates at least 300 more students will train at its Beijing or Guangzhou, China locations through 2017.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

More students to head overseas for aerospace industrial training (Channel News Asia)

Go Airlines Selects Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines for Airbus A320neo Aircraft Family

2012-02-14T22:58:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 15, 2012 – Go Airlines (GoAir), a leading provider of low fare services in the growing Indian aviation market, has selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engines for its order of 72 firm A320neo aircraft. The agreement represents 144 firm PW1100G-JM engines and is anticipated to include a PureSolutionSM maintenance package. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2016.

Each Airbus A320neo family aircraft purchased by GoAir 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.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

GoAir says Pratt & Whitney deal for $1 bln (Reuters)
Pratt & Whitney to supply engines for India's GoAir (Reuters)
GoAir Orders Pratt Geared Turbofan (Aviation Week)
Pratt Lands Another Big Airbus Customer (Hartford Courant)
Delivery for Pratt & Whitney order to start by 2016: Go Air (CNBC)
Pratt & Whitney engines will give us improved fuel efficiency: Jeh Wadia (Business Standard)
GoAir gives aircraft engine order to P&W (Business Standard of India)
GoAir inks $1b engine deal with Pratt & Whitney (Financial Chronicle of India)
Pratt piles up Asia air show engine orders (Hartford Business Journal)

TransAsia Airways Selects Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines to Power Airbus A321neo Aircraft

2012-02-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 15, 2012 – TransAsia Airways has selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engines to power its order of six firm and six option A321neo aircraft. The deal includes a 10-year PureSolution^SM maintenance service agreement for 27 engines, including spare and option engines. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2017.

TransAsia Airways also selected International Aero Engines’ (IAE) V2500 engine to power its order for six A321 standard aircraft.

Each TransAsia Airways 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.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt piles up Asia air show engine orders (Hartford Business Journal)
Taiwan carrier inks $300 mln Pratt & Whitney deal (AFP)

Pratt & Whitney Share of V2500® Engine Order from ICBC Valued at US$100 Million

2012-02-14T19:45:00.001-08:00

ICBC Financial Leasing Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC), has selected International Aero Engines to provide V2500 engines to power its fleet of 15 new A320 series aircraft. The deal is valued at US$100 million for Pratt & Whitney.

Deliveries will commence in January 2013 and continue into 2015.

View Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

Pratt’s IAE venture, too, cashing in (Hartford Business Journal)

Pratt & Whitney Share of V2500® Engine Order from Sichuan Airlines Valued at US$80 Million

2012-02-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

Sichuan Airlines has selected International Aero Engines to provide V2500 engines to power eight new A320 series aircraft. The order includes a long-term aftermarket services agreement. The deal is valued at approximately $80 million for Pratt & Whitney.

Deliveries will commence in January 2014 and continue into 2015.

Over the past 16 years, IAE has provided engines and services to Sichuan’s A320 fleet that has grown to 85 aircraft in service and on order. Since 2008, IAE has held the distinction of being the airline’s preferred engine supplier and supports Sichuan’s current fleet operations of 60 V2500-powered aircraft.

View Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

Pratt’s IAE venture, too, cashing in (Hartford Business Journal)

Pratt & Whitney Powers Learning with National Formosa University Students

2012-02-14T19:30:00.003-08:00

National Formosa University (NFU) and Pratt & Whitney signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement allows NFU students to participate in a well-designed curriculum for commercial engine maintenance as well as other professional training at Pratt & Whitney’s Customer Training Center (CTC) in China.

As a result of the program, NFU’s students will gain relevant exposure and training in aviation at Pratt & Whitney over a six-week period. Students receive the same training, both instructional and practical, as aircraft maintenance engineers.

View Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney Teams with National Formosa University (AIN)

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners Begins Construction on New Seletar Aerospace Park Facility

2012-02-14T19:30:00.001-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners has begun construction on the company's new facility at Singapore's Seletar Aerospace Park. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

The new, approximately 15,000 square-meter (160,000 square-foot), manufacturing facility and office building will be the latest addition to Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' comprehensive suite of businesses in Singapore, with an office area housing production management, various support functions and Global Services Engineering – Asia, which provides aftermarket repair design innovation to provide airline customers optimum air-worthy, high quality, cost effective material reuse solutions. The new facility will utilize some of the most advanced technologies in the world. It is expected to be ready for initial occupancy during the first quarter of 2013.

View Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

New Pratt MRO Campus Back on Track (Aviation Week)

Hawaiian Airlines Awarded First Ever Aviation Carbon Credits Using Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower® Engine Wash

2012-02-14T06:53:00.002-08:00

Hawaiian Airlines, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. was awarded the first ever aviation-based carbon credit. The credits are Verified Carbon Units, issued under the requirements of the Verified Carbon Standard using a new methodology developed by Pratt & Whitney. The methodology provides a validated process for calculating the CO2 savings achieved from using EcoPower engine wash.

Since 2005, Hawaiian has saved more than 2.5 million gallons of fuel and 26,000 gallons of water, eliminated potential soil and groundwater contamination, and reduced its CO2 emissions by 22,000 metric tons as a result of continued use of the environmentally-friendly EcoPower engine wash.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Hawaiian Gets Credits for EcoPower Use (Aviation International News)
Hawaiian Airlines Earns First-Ever Aviation Carbon Credits (Maui Now)
Hawaiian Airlines Makes History for Going Green (KHON-TV)
And the First Airline to Earn Verified Carbon Credits Is ... (Jaunted)
Hawaiian Airlines earns carbon credits following six-year use of P&W's engine washing system (GreenAir)

Asiana Airlines Selects Pratt & Whitney Fleet Management Program

2012-02-13T18:45:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 14, 2012 – Asiana Airlines has selected Pratt & Whitney for a Fleet Management Program agreement to provide engine maintenance for three of the airline's Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

Under the six-year agreement, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' Singapore-based Eagle Services Asia engine overhaul facility will provide engine maintenance for the airline's six PW4090 engines.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt to power Korean Air’s A330s, support Asiana fleet (Flight International)
Pratt and Asiana Ink Maintenance Deal (Aviaiton International News)

Pratt & Whitney Wins $200 Million PW4000 Advantage70™ Engine Order from Korean Air

2012-02-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 14, 2012 – Korean Air selected Pratt & Whitney’s PW4170 Advantage70™ engine to power five new Airbus A330 aircraft. The agreement, valued at approximately $200 million, represents 10 firm PW4170 engines.

Pratt & Whitney offers the Advantage70 both as a new engine and as an upgrade kit for existing PW4168 engines. The upgrade includes a suite of technology enhancements that can be incorporated into a fleet during engine overhaul. Advantage70 technology delivers superior engine performance, including a 2 percent thrust increase, more than 1 percent reduction in fuel consumption, increased durability, and reduced maintenance costs.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt wins $200M Korean Air order (Hartford Business Journal)
Pratt & Whitney wins Korean Air order (Air Transport World)
Pratt to power Korean Air’s A330s, support Asiana fleet (Flight International)

Pratt & Whitney Receives Maintenance Contract to Support F100 Engines for Royal Jordanian Air Force

2012-02-13T18:30:00.004-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Feb. 14, 2012 – Pratt & Whitney has received a $19.2 million Material Management Program (MMP) contract with three, one-year options from the United States Air Force in support of F100-PW-220E engines powering the Royal Jordanian Air Force fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters. This two-year parts and maintenance program covers 68 engines, scheduled to be serviced at Pratt & Whitney San Antonio Engine Center.

Under the terms of this MMP, Pratt & Whitney will provide key support of the F100-PW-220E engines in the intermediate engine shop and at the depot level. The program has the potential for revenue growth up to $72 million if the optional years are exercised.

Pratt & Whitney’s F100, powering F-15 and F-16 aircraft worldwide, is one of the most successful fighter engines in history. The combat proven engine has more than 27 million engine flying hours of experience. More than 23 air forces around the world have chosen the F100 for safe, reliable power. Pratt & Whitney has built more than 7,200 F100 engines for customers around the globe.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney Boosted By Big Year For JSF Engines (Aviation International News)

Pratt & Whitney Receives Silver Boeing Performance Excellence Award

2012-02-13T18:30:00.003-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Feb. 14, 2012 – The Boeing Company has recognized Pratt & Whitney as a 2011 Boeing Performance Excellence Award winner. Boeing issues the award annually to recognize suppliers who have achieved superior performance. Pratt & Whitney maintained a Silver composite performance rating for each month of the 12-month performance period, from Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011. This is the second consecutive year that Pratt & Whitney has received the honor.

Pratt & Whitney Military Engines supplies F117-PW-100 engines to Boeing for the C-17 Globemaster III and F100 engines for the F-15 Eagle fighters and PW4062 engines for the KC-46 Tanker.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Turbine Overhaul Services Celebrates 30th Anniversary

2012-02-13T18:30:00.002-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Singapore, Feb. 14, 2012 – 2012 marks 30 years since the formation of Turbine Overhaul Services (TOS), a Singapore-based joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Limited (ST Aerospace). Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

Since opening, TOS has become well-known in the aerospace industry for its efficiency and high quality overhaul services on JT8D, JT9D, PW2000, PW4000, V2500® and CFM56® Turbine airfoils, as well as High Pressure Compressor Blades. In 2002 TOS became the first manufacturing site in all of United Technologies Corp. to achieve Gold status, the highest recognition in Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE), the corporation's lean operating system.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Thirty Years in Singapore for Engines Joint Venture (Aviation Week ShowNews, p. 48)

F119 Engine Marks Major Milestone

2012-02-13T18:30:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Feb. 14, 2012 – Pratt & Whitney’s F119, the world’s first fifth-generation engine and the predecessor to the F135, has surpassed the 200,000 flight hour milestone powering Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor. This milestone recognizes the F119 as a fully mature engine. In addition, the F119 has demonstrated the safest and most reliable introduction of a fighter engine in United States Air Force history.

The progression from the F119 to the next generation F135 engine significantly decreases the operational risk of the single engine F-35 aircraft. The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 aircraft and currently in production for customers worldwide.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

F135 Exceeds 20,000 Total Engine Hours

2012-02-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE AIR SHOW, Feb. 14, 2012 – Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine – exclusively powering Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II – exceeded 20,000 total engine hours while powering the fleet of F-35 flight test aircraft, including 17,700 ground test hours and 2,500 flight test hours. This marks yet another milestone for Pratt & Whitney and its partners.

The F-35 includes three variants to meet the unique needs of the U.S. armed forces as well as the international participants in the program – the Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL), the Carrier Variant (CV) and the Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL). To date, the F135 propulsion system has completed more than 1,600 flight tests producing more than 2,500 flight hours and nearly 300 vertical landings. The successes of the F135 engine program validate the reliability, safety and performance of the engine.

View the Pratt & Whitney press release.

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney Boosted By Big Year For JSF Engines (Aviation International News)

Flight: P&W-Powered F-16s Delivered to Pakistan

2012-02-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Flight International reports that Pakistan recently received three F-16D Block 52 aircraft from the United States. The Block 52 aircraft are powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines. Check out the Flight story, which includes photos from the Pakistan air force.

The F100-PW-229 EEP (Engine Enhancement Package) engine is the only fighter engine funded and qualified by the U.S. Air Force to 6,000-cycle capability and is the latest evolution of the F100 family of fighter aircraft engines.

The F100-PW-229 EEP engine increases the engine depot inspection interval from seven years to 10 years and provides up to a 30 percent cost reduction over the life the engine. The EEP will also offer significant safety benefits, with an expected 25 percent reduction in the already low probability of in-flight shutdown.

AvWeek: Royal Air Force Adding a C-17

2012-02-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

Aviation Week reports that the United Kingdom plans to add another C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to its fleet. The Royal Air Force now has seven C-17s in its fleet.

Four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines 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 PW2037 commercial engine powering the Boeing 757. With more than 50 million hours of proven military and commercial use, the F117/PW2037 has consistently proven itself as a world-class dependable engine.

Sixth Lot of F135 Engines 'Powers The World'

2012-02-09T06:03:00.000-08:00

The Connecticut Business News Journal recently reported on Pratt & Whitney's recent $194.1 million contract award for F135 engines. The contract - the first production contract to include two of our key international partners and customers - covers long-lead materials for the sixth lot of F135 engines.

The sixth lot calls for 37 install engines, including 18 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) engines for the U.S. Air Force; seven carrier variant (CV) engines for the U.S. Navy; six short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems for the U.S. Marine Corps; four CTOL engines for the Italian Air Force; and two CTOL engines for The Royal Australian Air Force. The main engines deliveries in LRIP 6 are slated to begin in June 2013.

The headline? "P&W Powers The World" - we love it!

Coverage:

P&W Powers The World (Connecticut Business News Journal)

FT4000 SWIFTPAC Featured in Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production

2012-02-09T05:55:00.000-08:00

Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production reports on the FT4000 in an article published this week.

The FT4000 is based on the flight-proven PW4000 class turbofan engine, which has 26 million hours on more than 850 engines for the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777. Designed for simple cycle, combined cycle or cogeneration and available in 60 and 120 MW power blocks, the FT4000 SWIFTPAC will provide the highest power output of any aeroderivative gas turbine generator package available in the market.

The FT4000 is now in full scale development. Pratt & Whitney Power Systems expects a prototype to be available in 2013, with full-scale production under way in 2014.

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney prepares FT4000 for take off (Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production)

BSkyB Uses Power Systems / Turboden Technology

2012-02-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

Biomass Magazine and the Forest Business Network reported on the installation of a Pratt & Whitney Power Systems / Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle turbine at the BSkyB studio in London. BSkyB aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and improve its energy efficiency with biomass boiler at its "sustainable studio."

Coverage:

British broadcasting giant turns to biomass (Biomass Magazine)
British broadcasting giant turns to woody biomass (Forest Business Network)

'Unique Advantage' of P&W Power Systems Products

2012-02-07T04:20:00.000-08:00

Swift Tarbell of Pratt & Whitney Power Systems discusses the advantages of the PWPS product portfolio in this story in the UK-based Gas To Power Journal. The FT8 MOBILEPAC, FT8 SWIFTPAC, FT4000 and Organic Rankine Cycle products are mentioned in the article.

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney's turbines offer fast start-up capacity and reactive power to stabilize grid

ATW: IAE V2500 - The Engine of Choice

2012-02-07T04:06:00.000-08:00

Air Transport World features a video overview of International Aero Engines. The video reports that IAE was due to assemble its 5,000th V2500 engine in January. Click here to view the video via ATW online.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Signs Agreement for Commercial-Scale Gasification Demonstration Plant in China

2012-02-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has signed a negotiation framework agreement with two energy industry leaders to design, construct and operate a commercial-scale advanced gasification demonstration plant in China’s central eastern Henan Province. The agreement is a key step toward commercializing technology designed to lower the cost of coal gasification and provide an alternative fuel source that reduces water use and carbon dioxide emissions.

Under the framework, Zhongyuan Da Hua Group Company Ltd. and East China Engineering Science & Technology Company will share development costs for construction and operation of a demonstration plant with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, subject to the terms of a formal agreement currently being negotiated between the parties.

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

Coverage:

P&W Rocketdyne signs agreement for China commercial-scale gasification demonstration plant (Industrial Fuels and Power)
China seeks energy-tech license from UTC (Hartford Business Journal)

Epstein Talks (Geared Turbofan) Technology with Airplane Geeks

2012-01-26T06:58:00.000-08:00

Alan Epstein, vice president, Technology & Environment, Pratt & Whitney, is featured on episode No. 182 of the Airplane Geeks podcast. In a 32-minute interview with Max Flight and friends, Epstein fields questions about the history and evolution of the geared turbofan technology, the benefits of the Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine, and the engine's impact on the marketplace.

" ... The history for the last 20, 30 years has been the airframers have said we're going to build this airplane, give us a proposal for an engine. The GTF is unique. ... There was this demo engine that flew in 2007, and the communications people painted a slogan on the nacelle that said 'This Changes Everything.' And I thought that was advertising enthusiasm, but to my surprise, it has. The fact that the GTF is there made the Bombardier and MRJ airplanes so attractive, forced Airbus and Boeing to do something - they could've come up with new airplanes or re-engine. They chose to re-engine. So this is getting back to the good old days from an engine point of view, where you build a great engine and people start designing airplanes around it. ..."

The Epstein interview begins at 03:30 and runs through 35:30. Click here to listen to the podcast.

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

NASA: J-2X Begins New Series of Tests

2012-01-26T06:16:00.000-08:00

NASA is set to begin a series of tests on the powerpack for the J-2X engine. The tests, at the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center, will evaluate a full range of operating conditions.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is developing the J-2X engine to power the upper stage of the NASA Space Launch System.

Click here for additional information - and photos - from NASA.

Coverage:

Stennis testing next generation space flight engines (The Picayune Item)

F-35 Performs First Night Flight

2012-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

Video Credit: Lockheed Martin

This video from Lockheed Martin shows the first night flight in the history of the F-35 Program. (The flight was completed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.) Watch this clip and see the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine at work!

Coverage:

F-35 performs first night flight (Flight International)
Night flights commence for F-35 (Marine Corps Times)
Stunning Pictures Of The F-35's First Night Flight (Business Insider)
F-35 Conducts First Night Flight As Tests Continue (Ottawa Citizen)

P&W Rocketdyne Vice President Interviewed on 'Space Show'

2012-01-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

Steve Bouley, vice president, Launch Vehicle and Hypersonic Systems, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, was a guest on the Jan. 18 edition of The Space Show. In a 60-minute interview with Dr. David Livingston, Bouley discusses the RS-68 and RL10B-2 engines, which power the Delta IV; the evolution of hypersonic technology and other subjects.

Click here to listen to broadcast No. 1692 of The Space Show.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Engines Power the Rocket Boosting the Latest Communications Satellite for U.S. Department of Defense

2012-01-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its propulsion systems by successfully boosting the fourth in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites to increase communications capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV medium rocket with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10B-2 engines providing the booster and upper-stage propulsion, respectively.

The WGS satellites are part of a larger system that increases military communications capabilities for U.S. and alliance forces deployed worldwide. They help support the exchange of information, execution of tactical command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The RS-68 is the world's largest hydrogen-fueled engine, designed for heavy lift with 758,000 pounds of vacuum thrust and 663,000 pounds of sea-level thrust. The RL10B-2 is a unique cryogenic upper-stage engine that provides 465 seconds of specific impulse and 24,750 pounds of thrust.

Coverage:

Air Force Launches New Military Communications Satellite Into Orbit (SPACE.com)

P&W Rocketdyne to Power Launch of Communications Satellite

2012-01-19T04:48:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne stands poised to power the fourth in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) communications satellites for the U.S. military on Jan. 19. This launch is scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10B-2 engines providing booster and upper-stage propulsion, respectively.

Steve Bouley, vice president, Launch Vehicle and Hypersonic Systems, told the San Fernando Valley Business Journal more about the launch, which is the first of 11 scheduled missions for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne this year. Click here to read the full story.

Coverage:

Satellite Launch First 2012 Mission for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (San Fernando Valley Business Journal)

Environmental Leader: BSkyB Uses Turboden Technology to Lower Emissions

2012-01-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

Environmental Leader reports that BSkyB will use a Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle turbine to generate power, hot water and chilled water for its new main studio campus. BSkyB aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and improve its energy efficiency.

Turboden is a Pratt & Whitney Power Systems company.

Click here to read the full story from Environmental Leader.

NASA: RS-25D Engines Heading to Stennis

2012-01-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

NASA is moving 15 RS-25D engines from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The RS-25D engines - better known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine - are being "repurposed" to power the core stage of the Space Launch System, according to NASA.

The RS-25D engine is built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Click here for a full story - and photos - from NASA.

Additional Coverage:

NASA begins moving shuttle main engines to Stennis for future use (Huntsville Times)
NASA Moves Shuttle Engines From Kennedy To Stennis (Space Travel)

Lockheed Martin: F-35 Program Exceeds 2011 Flight Test Goals

2012-01-13T04:33:00.000-08:00

Lockheed Martin announced this week that the F-35 flight test program exceeded its goals for 2011. The System Development and Demonstration program flew 972 flights and verified 7,823 test points, against a plan of 872 flights and 6,622 test points.

The F-35 is powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine.

Click here to read the Lockheed Martin press release.

Coverage:

Lockheed touts F-35 milestones (The Hill)

Lockheed Martin Delivers First Two Marine Corps F-35s to Eglin

2012-01-12T06:18:00.000-08:00

[Video credit: Lockheed Martin, via YouTube]

Lockheed Martin reports that the first two production model F-35B short takeoff / vertical landing aircraft were delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps on Jan. 11. The aircraft - BF-6 and BF-8 - arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., after ferry flights from Fort Worth, Texas.

The F-35 is powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine.

Click here to read the Lockheed Martin press release.

Coverage:

Lockheed delivers first two F-35Bs to training base (Flight International)
Marine Corps welcomes first F-35B aircraft to its fleet (DVIDS)
First F-35Bs arrive at Eglin AFB for training (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Marines receive first F-35 fighter planes (The Hill)

Pratt & Whitney Awarded $194M F135 Long-Lead Production Contract

2012-01-10T04:56:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Pratt & Whitney a $194,097,296 long-lead production contract for F135 engines to power the F-35 Lightning II. The low rate initial production (LRIP) contract covers long-lead materials for the sixth lot of F135 engines, and provides Pratt & Whitney the ability to start procuring long-lead items for production engines.

The sixth lot calls for 37 install engines, including 18 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) engines for the U.S. Air Force; seven carrier variant (CV) engines for the U.S. Navy; six short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems for the U.S. Marine Corps; four CTOL engines for the Italian Air Force; and two CTOL engines for The Royal Australian Air Force. The main engines deliveries in LRIP 6 are slated to begin in June 2013.

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

Related item:

Blumenthal, Larson, Courtney Announce $194 Million Contract for Pratt & Whitney (Office of Sen. Richard Blumenthal)

Coverage:

Pratt wins $194 million for early work on F-35 engines (Reuters)
Pratt Gets $194M Navy Contract For F-35 Engine Parts (Hartford Courant)
Agreement reached on F-35 engines (UPI)
Pratt & Whitney Wins Contract for F-35 Engines (Defense News)
Pratt & Whitney Wins $194M Contract for F-35 Engines (Defense World)
Pratt & Whitney secures $194 mill contract (WTNH-TV)
Pratt lands $194M jet fighter contract (Hartford Business Journal)

Hartford Business: Engine Alliance President on a Mission

2012-01-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

The Hartford Business Journal has named Engine Alliance President Mary Ellen Jones to its list of "5 To Watch In 2012" for her role on the Connecticut Airport Authority Board of Directors. Jones, who is chairwoman of the CAA, aims to transform Bradley International Airport.

Read the full story in the Hartford Business Journal.

Bangalore Aviation: PurePower Engine is 'Aviation Technology of the Year'

2012-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Bangalore Aviation named the Pratt & Whitney PurePower Engine its "Aviation Technology of the Year" for 2011.

Bangalore Aviation writes:

" ... no new technology has been as influential as the Geared TurboFan (GTF) offered by Pratt & Whitney on its new PurePower PW1000G series of engines to be used on aircraft such as the Bombardier CSeries, the Irkut MS-21, and the Airbus A320neo family."

Click here to read the full post.

United Technologies Corp. Chairman and CEO Louis Chênevert Named Person of the Year by Aviation Week

2012-01-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

From an Aviation Week press release:

Aviation Week has selected Louis R. Chênevert, chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp. (UTC), parent company to aerospace giants Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky and Hamilton Sundstrand, as its 2011 Person of the Year. With a series of bold — and surprising — deals, Chênevert ensured Pratt & Whitney's resurgence, while reinvigorating UTC as a force to be reckoned with in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industries. Complete coverage of the Person of the Year is included in a cover story in this week's Aviation Week & Space Technology.

"The sum of Louis Chênevert's achievements will reverberate for many years to come," said Anthony L. Velocci, Jr., editorial director of Aviation Week and editor-in-chief of Aviation Week & Space Technology. "He is the person who had the most impact on the industry in 2011."

Click here to read the full press release. Click here to read the Aviation Week cover story.

Coverage:

UTC's Chênevert Named "Person Of The Year" By Aviation Week (Hartford Courant)
Louis R. Chênevert named Person of the Year by Aviation Week (Montreal Gazette)

Pratt & Whitney Awarded Contract for F135 Engine Production Worth Up To $1.12B

2012-01-04T04:24:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Pratt & Whitney an undefinitized contract award (UCA) not to exceed $1,122,306,649 for F135 production engines to power the F-35 Lightning II. Pratt & Whitney and the DoD have reached a tentative agreement on key terms for the low rate initial production (LRIP) 5 contract which contains fixed-price and cost-plus incentive fee elements. A total of $358,597,078 is being obligated at time of award, in addition to the $138,800,000 obligated in 2011 for advanced acquisition materials. This LRIP contract includes production engines, spare parts, program management, engineering support for production, sustainment and field support for the F135 engines.

The fifth lot of engines includes 21 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) engines for the U.S. Air Force; six carrier variant (CV) engines for the U.S. Navy; and three short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems for the U.S. Marine Corps. The engines in LRIP 5 will support the U.S. Services with main engine deliveries slated to begin in late-2012.

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

Coverage:

Pratt & Whitney Wins New JSF Contract Worth Up To $1.1 Billion (Hartford Courant)
United Technologies Scores a Billion Dollar Contract (Wall Street Cheat Sheet)
United Technologies Unit Awarded Department of Defense Contract Valued at Up to $1.12 Billion (Financial News Network)
Pratt & Whitney Awarded $1 Billion Engine Deal for F-35 (Aviation Today)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne: Smoke and Fire

2011-12-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne powered 14 successful launches during 2011. Payloads included humans, cargo and satellites vital to space exploration, worldwide communication, navigation, defense, research and development and weather prediction.

You can view highlights from each launch in the video embedded in this post.

Japanese Ministry of Defense Announces Plans to Purchase F-35 Aircraft

2011-12-21T07:09:00.000-08:00

The Japanese Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa has announced the selection of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the F-X program. The F-35 is produced by Lockheed Martin and powered by Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine. The announcement includes 42 installed engines, spare engines and a logistics support program.

The Japanese government’s decision to select the F-35 Lightning II as the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF) next-generation fighter makes Japan the second country to receive the F-35 through the United States government’s Foreign Military Sales process, and the 13th F-35 customer.

“We are honored to be part of the Japanese F135-powered F-35 selection and look forward to supporting the Japan Air Self Defense Force and Japanese aerospace industry,” said Bennett Croswell, president of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. “This program selection builds on the strong relationship Pratt & Whitney has with JASDF and Japanese industry over the past 30 years on the F100 engine powering their F-15 fighters.”

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

Coverage:

Pratt Wins Japanese Military Contract (Hartford Courant)
Japan Picks Lockheed to Build Its Next Fighter Jet (New York Times)
U.S. F-35 picked as mainstay fighter (Japan Times)
Japan Fighter Buy Bolsters U.S. Leverage In Asia (Forbes)
Lockheed hopes to press F-35 momentum (DoD Buzz)
Japan picks Lockheed F-35 fighter as allies stress tight ties (Reuters)
Lockheed Martin Wins Japan Order for 42 F-35 Fighter Planes (Bloomberg)
Lockheed Lightning II Strikes in Tokyo (Aviation Week)
Japan selects troubled F-35 as new fighter jet (AFP)
Japan chooses Lockheed's F-35 as its next-generation fighter (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Japan swoops for F-35, shoots down Typhoon, F/A-18E/F (Flight International)

Pratt & Whitney Receives Engine Contract for Boeing C-17s Sold to India

2011-12-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney recently received a contract to produce the first four F117-PW-100 engines that will power the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III for the Indian Air Force. The engines will be delivered in second quarter of 2012. Earlier this year, India’s Ministry of Defence signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government to acquire 10 C-17s. India will take delivery of its first C-17s in early 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 PW2037 commercial engine powering the Boeing 757. With more than 50 million hours of proven military and commercial use, the F117/PW2037 has consistently 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 Pratt & Whitney's press release.

Coverage:

Pratt Gets Engine Order For Indian C-17s (Aviation Week)
Pratt’s cargo-jet engines for India’s air force (Hartford Business Journal)
Pratt & Whitney bags IAF engine contract for Boeing C-17s (Economic Times)
P&W wins deal for engines in C-17 plane for India (Top News)
P&W engines for India's C-17s (UPI)

Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines Selected for JetBlue’s Airbus A320neo Aircraft Family

2011-12-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

JetBlue Airways has selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engines to power its order of 40 firm A320neo family aircraft. The MOU includes 86 PurePower engines with a long-term PureSolution(SM) maintenance service agreement. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2018.

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

Coverage:

JetBlue to Buy Pratt Engines Valued at $1.03 Billion (Bloomberg)
Jetblue orders 86 Pratt engines for Airbus jets (Reuters)
JetBlue Opts For PW1100G Geared Turbofan (Aviation Week)

NASA: J-2X Combustion Stability Test a Success

2011-12-06T04:49:00.000-08:00

The J-2X rocket engine passed its first combustion stability test on Dec. 1, according to NASA. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is developing the J-2X engine, which has been selected by NASA as an upper-stage engine for the Space Launch System (SLS).

Coverage:

NASA Fires Up Engine for Giant New Rocket (SPACE.com)

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Boosts Latest Mars Rover to the Red Planet

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 26, 2011 – Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems by successfully boosting the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which will travel to the red planet to assess its habitability. The mission 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 Centaur 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 the only liquid oxygen/kerosene fueled engine with an oxygen-rich staged-combustion cycle flying in the United States today.

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

L.A. Times: NASA launches largest-ever Mars rover
National Journal: NASA Launches Mission to Mars
Christian Science Monitor: For NASA's rover Curiosity, it's 'Mars or Bust!'
San Fernando Valley Business Journal: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Ends 2011 Missions with Mars Rover Launch
Reuters (via Montreal Gazette): Rover sniffs out possibility of life on Mars

P&W-Powered ‘Spirit of Freedom’ Greets Manchester Road Race Runners

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Entrants in the Manchester, Conn., Road Race on Thanksgiving Day had plenty of reasons to keep their eyes on the road. But before the field of 15,000 could hit the streets, a Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft gave runners a reason to look to the sky.

A Douglas C-54E Skymaster - "Spirit of Freedom" - did a flyover before the start of the 4.748-mile race, providing a patriotic sendoff for the 75th running of the event. The cargo plane was one of 330 Skymasters used in the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and 1949, as Allied aircraft airlifted more than 2.3 million tons of food and supplies into West Berlin.

The "Spirit of Freedom" was retired from military service in the 1970s, according to the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, which owns and operates the C-54E. The foundation acquired the aircraft in 1992, restoring it and creating a museum and memorial inside the aircraft. The "Spirit of Freedom" now makes regular appearances at air shows and events throughout the United States.

The C-54E Skymaster is powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasp engines. The R-2000 was a derivative of the R-1830 Twin Wasp, designed for the Douglas DC-4. Pilot Tim Chopp said the R-2000s are still providing dependable power, more than 60 years after the aircraft first entered service.

Pratt & Whitney is a longtime sponsor of the Manchester Road Race.

View photos of the C-54 Skymaster via the Pratt & Whitney Facebook page.

Coverage:

Hartford Courant: 'Spirit' Of Berlin Airlift To Help Launch Road Race
Journal Inquirer: 'Spirit' will be in the air

American Airlines Selects IAE’s V2533-A5 to Power New A321 Fleet

2011-11-22T08:00:00.001-08:00

International Aero Engines has entered into an agreement that will enable IAE to play a key role in American Airlines’ fleet transformation. As a part of this pact, IAE will provide American’s future fleet of new Airbus A321 aircraft with its V2533-A5 engines. The financial terms and conditions of the transaction have not been disclosed.

This engine selection supports American’s July 2011 fleet order for 130 current-generation A320 family aircraft. American expects to take delivery of the A321 aircraft that are part of that order between 2013 and 2017.

Read the International Aero Engines presss release here.

Coverage:

Dallas Morning News: American Airlines picks A319s and A321s as part of its Airbus deal
ATW: American selects CFM56-5B-powered A319s and A321s with V2500-A5s
Dallas Business Journal: American selects Airbus models for order
Tulsa World: American Airlines' order for 130 Airbus aircraft launches massive fleet renewal plan

PurePower® PW1000G Geared Turbofan™ Engine Named to TIME Magazine’s ‘50 Best Inventions of 2011’

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

TIME Magazine has named Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower® PW1000G engine as one of “The 50 Best Inventions of 2011,” describing it as "the most important development in aviation in 2011.”

“We are very pleased to accept this recognition from TIME Magazine,” said Paul Adams, senior vice president, Operations & Engineering, Pratt & Whitney. “The PurePower Geared Turbofan engine is setting a new standard in the industry for efficiency and environmental friendliness."

Read the full Pratt & Whitney press release here.

Coverage:

Sustainable Business: 6 Green Inventions Honored in Time Mag's 50 Best Inventions
Hartford Business Journal: Proud Pratt's PurePower on Time's '50 Best'
Hartford Courant: PurePower Honored By Time Magazine

Qatar Airways Selects Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines for Airbus A320neo Aircraft Family

2011-11-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

DUBAI AIR SHOW, Nov 15, 2011 – Qatar Airways has selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM engines for its order of 50 firm A320neo family aircraft. The deal includes 100 PW1100G-JM engines with a PureSolutionSM maintenance service agreement. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2015.

Each Qatar Airways 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.

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

Bloomberg: Qatar Air CEO Makes Up With Airbus After Lashing Planemaker
BBC News: Qatar flexes its muscle in Airbus deal
Reuters: Qatar, Airbus make up and sign £4 billion deal
Hartford Courant: Pratt & Whitney Wins 200 PurePower Engine Sales At Dubai
Khaleej Times: Qatar Airways places $6.4b Airbus order
Aviation Week: Post-Spat, Qatar Goes For A380, A320NEO

ALAFCO Opts for Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM Engines for Airbus A320neo Aircraft Family

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Alafco Aviation Lease and Finance Co. KSCC (ALAFCO) selected Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engines to power its order of 50 firm A320neo family aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2017.

“Pratt & Whitney welcomes ALAFCO as a new customer," said Todd Kallman, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services President. “We are confident the PurePower engine’s performance and benefits will meet the expectations of ALAFCO and its customers.”

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

Arabian Aerospace: Dubai 2011: ALAFCO goes for P&W power with neo order
Hartford Courant: Pratt & Whitney Wins 200 PurePower Engine Sales At Dubai

PurePower® Engines Surpass 1,000 Hours of Full Engine Testing

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney has successfully completed more than 1,000 hours of full engine testing on its PurePower engines for its first two applications – the PW1500G engine series for the Bombardier* CSeries* aircraft and the PW1200G engine series for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Four PW1500G engines and two PW1200G engines have undergone testing to date. Each engine model will run a total of eight test engines leading to engine certification.

“We are on track for engine certification next year. Initial engine testing confirms we will meet our customer commitments on our initial models,” said Bob Saia, vice president, Next Generation Product Family. “This first block of engine testing, including the PW1524G flight testing, validated the overall engine design and positions us well going forward.”

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA Complete Hot-Fire Test on J-2X Engine

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA successfully completed a 500-second duration hot-fire test on NASA’s J-2X engine, a key step in demonstrating the propulsion system’s ability to power humans further into space than ever before. NASA selected the J-2X as an upper-stage engine for the Space Launch System (SLS) – an advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle.

The hot-fire test ran full-duration for 500 seconds in the A2 test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The engine ran at a 100 percent power level to gain a better understanding of how the engine behaves during a full mission.

Read the Pratt & Whitney press release here.

Coverage:

J-2X test-firing a milestone for NASA (Florida Today)
NASA hits firing goal of 500 seconds with first new J-2X engine (Huntsville Times)
NASA Test Fires Engine for Giant New Rocket (SPACE.com)
SLS J-2X Upper Stage engine enjoys successful 500 second test fire (NASAspaceflight.com)
NASA runs J-2X engine 500 seconds in ground firing (Spaceflight Now)
NASA's New Upper Stage Engine Passes Major Test (NASA)

Pratt & Whitney F135 Propulsion System Powers Successful Sea Trials for F-35 Program

2011-11-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sea trials have concluded for the F-35B Lightning II’s Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft. Flying under the power of Pratt & Whitney’s F135 propulsion system, two STOVL variants conducted 72 short takeoffs and vertical landings, for a total of 260 vertical landings in the program. The three-week sea trial period was conducted aboard the USS Wasp sailing from Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia.

“This is a significant and historic achievement for the F-35 program and the F135 propulsion system,” said Chris Flynn, vice president F135/F119 engine programs. “Beginning with the ‘first ever’ F-35B vertical landing to take place on a ship Oct. 3, the F135 provided dependable performance throughout the series of rigorous tests. We are meeting our goals on performance and affordability at this critical time for the F-35B program.”

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

JSF Has Successful Test Flights at Sea (Hartford Courant)
Pentagon Says Marine F-35 Model Successful in First Sea Trials (Bloomberg)

Pratt & Whitney EcoFlight Solutions Signs Exclusive Software Licensing Agreement With Aviaso

2011-11-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

Pratt & Whitney and Flight Sciences International have signed an exclusive software licensing agreement with Aviaso, an international software company developing products exclusively for the aviation industry, to provide innovative data analysis software for EcoFlight™ Solutions, a comprehensive fuel conservation program designed to help airlines save fuel and reduce emissions.

Under the agreement, Aviaso will provide exclusive data analysis software for EcoFlight Solutions, offering customers a comprehensive suite of customizable reports, alerts and dashboards including an easy-to-read application summarizing a customer's current fuel savings and opportunities for further reductions.

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

For more information: www.ecoflightsolutions.com

Air China Completes First Sustainable Biofuel Flight Using Pratt & Whitney PW4000 94-inch Engines

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Air China, in partnership with Boeing, Honeywell UOP, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, PetroChina and Pratt & Whitney, completed a demonstration flight on Oct. 28 using a sustainable biofuel derived from biomass grown in China.

Air China’s Boeing 747 aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 94-inch engines, completed approximately a one hour flight. No modifications to the aircraft or engine were required for the biofuel, which is a “drop-in” replacement for petroleum-based fuel.

Read Pratt & Whitney's press release here.

Coverage:

China conducts its first jet biofuel trial (China Daily)
Air China Completes First Flight With Biofuel Mixture (International Business Times)
Pratt jet engine’s ‘green’ liftoff slurping biofuel (Hartford Business Journal)
Air China flies first biofuel powered plane (Biofuels International)
Biofuel Test Flight A First For China (Earth Techling)