United Technologies Corp.: American aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Thursday announced that a subsidiary of India’s national carrier Air India would perform the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for its latest Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines in the country.
The PW1100G-JM engines will be serviced by Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) at its facility in Mumbai and it has already received its first GTF engine.
“With AIESL performing maintenance on our high-tech GTF engines, we are excited to strengthen our global MRO capacity and capabilities for customers on the ground in India,” said Joe Sylvestro, vice president of aftermarket operations at Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp.
“As the demand for air travel grows in India, we look forward to furthering the growth of Indian aviation,” he said.
This partnership with the American aircraft engine manufacturer has come as a big relief for Air India which has been trying to expand its non-aviation business to cover the losses incurred by the company.
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“It’s an exciting time for us as we prepare for the GTF engine,” said HR Jagannath, Cheif Executive Officer of AIESL in a statement.
“AIESL has been engaged in providing engine MRO services to Air India and other operators for over 50 years now. Our association with Pratt & Whitney goes back a long time as well. The GTF engine provides us with the opportunity to showcase our capabilities and establish AIESL as one of the premier engine MROs in Asia.”
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“Pratt & Whitney is committed to investing in the success of the aviation industry in India, and to build capabilities for high value services,” said Ashmita Sethi, managing director of India for Pratt & Whitney.
“These services based on deep knowledge and expertise of the manufacturer, once performed in India, will save customers the downtime, disruption and costs, by keeping GTF engines flying longer, and getting them back on the wing, sooner,” she said.
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Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney, an unit of United Technologies Corp, is active in design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, and auxiliary power units.
United Technologies Corp, which is based at Farmington in Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries.
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