Its engines are on frontline fighters, like the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as well as the C-17 Globemaster III military transport. Pratt & Whitney Canada has produced more than 73,000 engines, of which 47,000 engines are in service on over 25,000 aircraft in 198 countries. Its large commercial engines power more than 30 per cent of the world’s passenger aircraft fleet. In an interview with SP’s Aviation, Pratt & Whitney team outlines the company’s presence in India.

SP’s Aviation (SP’s): The IndiGo order for 300 Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G engines is a record-breaking order for P&W? What is the value of the deal?

Pratt & Whitney (P&W): Pratt & Whitney is very pleased that IndiGo selected the PurePower PW1100G engine for its order of 150 A320neo aircraft. The order, which represents 300 Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G engines, is the largest commercial order for the company in nearly 50 years. Financial terms of the deal have not been released.

The first PurePower PW1100G engines will be delivered to customers by late 2015. Airbus recently announced that the Pratt & Whitney engine is the lead engine to enter service on the A320neo family in October 2015.

SP’s: Which other aircraft manufacturers and airlines have opted for PW1100G engines across the globe?

P&W: We’ve won four applications for PurePower engines: the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (13K lbs to 17K lbs), the Bombardier Cseries (19K lbs to 24K lbs), the Airbus A320neo and our single-aisle engine for the Irkut MC-21 (24K lbs to 33K lbs).

Pratt & Whitney now has more than 1,200 PW1000G engines on order, including options.

International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), IndiGo and Lufthansa recently selected the Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G engines for A320neo family aircraft orders.

PurePower customers for the Bombardier CSeries include Lufthansa, Lease Corporation International (LCI), and Republic Airways. ANA and Trans States Holdings are PurePower customers for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ).

SP’s: In India, how many aircraft are powered by P&W engines and what is the market like?

P&W: Pratt & Whitney has been partnering with the Indian aerospace community for over six decades. More than 300 aircraft are flying in India with Pratt & Whitney and International Aero Engines. We recognise the importance of this growing market and the number of potential partners to help stimulate that growth.

India will need more than 1,000 commercial aircraftb over the next 20 years according to Airbus and Boeing and India’s growth in the industry is driven by low-cost carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir. The Indian market is dynamic with many changes taking place. It is an exciting time to be a part of this important market.

Our largest customers for Pratt & Whitney and IAE engines are Air India, Kingfisher and IndiGo, with close to 300 large commercial engines in service for all customers in India.

SP’s: Some of the engineering work for the GTF engine is being done in India with Infotech? Could you give some details of the same?

P&W: Pratt & Whitney established a long-term business relationship with the engineering and information technology firm Infotech Enterprises Ltd in Hyderabad in 2000. Infotech and our other partners in India are helping us develop innovative, new, environmentally-friendly products.

Pratt & Whitney has 16 aerospace suppliers in the country. The idea is to develop an aerospace ecosystem by developing aerospace capabilities in India.

SP’s: Could you tell us about your meeting with major Indian companies to form joint ventures for manufacturing engine parts in India? Which are the companies and what parts are being looked at from India?

P&W: Pratt & Whitney is in the advanced stages of forming several joint ventures with major local businesses. The joint ventures will support the manufacturing of engine components in India.

SP’s: Besides Air India, who are the other clients of the P&W engine wash facility in Mumbai? Could you indicate the benefits of the facility?

P&W: Air India currently uses Pratt & Whitney’s patented, environmentally-friendly EcoPower engine wash at its Mumbai International Airport-based service centre. As an EcoPower engine wash franchisee, Air India offers the service to other carriers in the region and is able to perform washes on nearly all commercial engines in service today.

There is an increasing demand for services like EcoPower engine wash with environmental and bottom line benefits. As one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world, the demand is expected to significantly increase in India. Air India has the ability to grow its wash capacity to meet the market’s increasing demands.

Till date, Air India has performed more than 205 EcoPower engine washes saving more than 8,80,000 gallons of fuel worth $3.1 million ( Rs. 13.95 crore) while reducing its CO2 emissions by approximately 8,700 metric tonnes.

Air India expects to save $9 ( Rs. 40.5 crore) million in fuel costs (2.6 million gallons of fuel) and reduce its CO2 emissions by 25,000 metric tonnes annually with EcoPower engine wash.

Here are some of the benefits of the EcoPower engine wash:

• Clean: Pure atomised water provides a more thorough airfoil cleaning than conventional methods; closed loop system captures effluent as it exits the engine making it environmentally safe
• Green: Reduces engine CO₂ emissions; uses no detergent
• Smart: Reduces fuel consumption by as much 1.2 per cent saving customers money; increases exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin by as much as 15 degrees celsius for longer revenue service time
• Fast: Simply park, wash, fly; washes take 60-90 minutes and are done while the aircraft is parked at the gate
• Versatile: Can be performed on all engine models (P&W, GE, IAE, CFM and RR, commercial, military, small and large)

SP’s: The GTF is expected to generate substantial costsavings ($1.5 million [ Rs. 6.75 crore] per aircraft per year), what else does it offer?

P&W: Pratt & Whitney’s technology investment in the PurePower geared turbofan (GTF) engine produces the only proven new engine architecture for now and well into the future. It’s real and currently undergoing extensive ground testing with first test flights scheduled for mid-year.

The PurePower PW1000G engine takes a comprehensive approach to engine development. Unlike our competitors, who are focusing primarily on the thermal efficiencies derived from improvements to an engine’s core, Pratt & Whitney is upgrading the propulsive and thermal efficiencies of the engine. To do this, 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 per cent reduction in noise.

SP’s: Analysts have also pointed out that PW6000 engine is burning about six per cent more fuel than original estimates on A318. Is that still an issue and will there be any deviation from the 15 per cent less fuel burn estimate for PW1100G?

P&W: The PW6000 engine specific range trends are on track or slightly better than the Airbus A318 ‘Orange Book’ performance handbook. The PW6000 engine is also demonstrating excellent revenue service performance retention characteristics.

SP’s: What about the use of alternative jet fuel usage on your engines? What are the developments in this area?

P&W: Pratt & Whitney is a leader in the research, certification and demonstration of alternative fuels. We have been working with many customers and airframe manufacturers as well as with government agencies, to provide alternative fuel options that improve fuel supply and reduce emissions. We led a cross industry team of engine manufacturers that updated the current fuel specification guide. This new global industry standard outlines the steps required to safely and economically evaluate and certify any alternative fuel for use in aviation. We expect all of our commercial, business and military engines to be certified for biofuel use.

SP’s: Can you tell us about P&W engines for military aircraft, globally as well as with reference to Indian aircraft acquisitions?

P&W: P&W’s F117 engine, exclusive power for the C-17 Globemaster III, will be the first P&W military engine in India. Pratt & Whitney’s F117 engine team is working closely with Boeing to support introduction of the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in India. The C-17 is a workhorse, performing extremely well supporting military and humanitarian operations around the world and has one of the highest missioncapable rates for airlifters. C-17’s international customers include the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, NATO, Qatar, etc. UK has seven C-17s; Australia has five (one is on order); Canada has four; NATO Airlift Management Agency (NAMA) operates three; and Qatar has two.