The Pratt & Whitney GTF problem is causing headaches for many airlines, especially those who picked the Airbus A320neo with the PW1100G geared turbofan engine over the CFM LEAP 1A. Airlines like Cebu Pacific are not happy because they’re losing money instead of saving it. This is due to flight cancellations, delays, and technical problems, which are hurting the airline’s income. To make it easy to understand, here’s what you should know about the Pratt & Whitney engine recall.
The current problem with Pratt & Whitney involves recalling about 1,000 PW1100G GTF engines because of manufacturing flaws and other issues that were found. This means more A320neos with these engines will have to stay on the ground, leading airlines to cut back on flights.
Pratt and Whitney discovered metal contamination in several of their GTF engine components. These particular components are more prone to corrosion, leading to cracks in the geared turbofan engines. These engines are the GTF PW1100G-JM used on the A320neo family and the PW1400G-JM used on the A220. Due to this, Pratt and Whitney initiated a large-scale recall and inspection process.
The Recall
When the issue first came to light in July, RTX Corporation thought that only about 1,200 engines would have to be taken out and checked within the next year. This process is akin to a product recall, with Pratt & Whitney handling the inspections. The company also figured it would take roughly 300 days for an engine to be inspected and returned to the airline once removed.
However, on September 11, Pratt & Whitney revised their estimates. RTX Corporation now believes that close to 3,000 engines will need removal and inspection over the coming three years. At present, around 3,200 of these engines are in operation on various airline jets.
The recall has financial repercussions as well. RTX is expected to spend around 500 million dollars in free cash flow this year to manage this recall. This financial burden has raised concerns among shareholders and had an impact on the company’s market value.
Airlines are also affected by this recall. More than 1,000 GTF engines are subject to inspection. Initially, 200 engines will be inspected in the coming weeks, followed by another 1,000 over the next year. Airlines that predominantly use these engines, such as Airbus, are revising their operational strategies to accommodate these changes.
The recall is not just affecting Pratt and Whitney; it has a ripple effect on other suppliers as well. For instance, Japan-based IHI, which holds a 15% share in the GTF engine program, has already issued warnings about potential impacts on its financial performance.
Safety Concerns for Passengers
One of the immediate questions that arises from this situation is the safety of air travel. According to official statements from Pratt and Whitney and RTX, there is no immediate safety concern for flights. However, the recall has led to increased scrutiny and questions about the reliability of these engines.
This is not the first time GTF engines have faced problems. Since their introduction in 2015, these engines have required more maintenance than initially estimated. This has led to a global shortage of these engines and has even affected the production of new aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Pratt & Whitney are collaborating to develop a comprehensive plan for future inspections and repairs. This plan aims to ensure the continued reliability of the affected engines and restore confidence among airlines and passengers.
Additional Strain on Engine Models
The surge in demand for Airbus A320neo jets has placed additional strain on GTF engines and other models like the CFM Leap engines. Despite the recall and ongoing inspection process, the production of new engines for the Airbus A320neo remains unaffected due to changes in the production process that mitigate the issue.
While the short-term disruption to air travel may be limited due to the relatively small number of engines being inspected, the long-term impact remains uncertain. Proper management of the recall process is essential to maintaining the confidence of airlines, passengers, and the industry at large.
Certainly, this is turning into a big problem for airlines. They picked the PW1100G GTF engines for their A320neos to save on fuel. The PW1100G engine is 15% more fuel-efficient compared to the CFM56 engine. But with the current situation, it looks like the money saved on fuel is getting eaten up by maintenance costs and flight cancellations.
So, it’s clear why airlines are far from pleased.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
