In a recent announcement, Pratt & Whitney revealed that Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance has successfully inducted its first Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine.
AFI KLM E&M, which joined the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) network in 2022, now possesses the capability to disassemble, assemble, and test PW1500G model engines that power the Airbus A220 family.
This development comes after Air France’s decision in 2021 to select 60 A220-300 aircraft, all equipped exclusively with GTF engines, with an option to add up to 60 more.
As of now, Air France operates 24 A220 aircraft, with an additional 37 on order.
Anne Brachet, the executive vice president at Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance, expressed her enthusiasm regarding the induction of the first GTF engine.
She stated, “With the induction of our first GTF engine, we’re growing our capabilities with today’s most advanced technologies.”
“Our ability to overhaul geared turbofan engines strengthens our expertise in the world’s most innovative architectures, so we’re ready to meet the needs of current and future operators – many of them right here in Europe.”
Over the past four years, the GTF MRO network has witnessed significant growth, more than doubling in size.
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KLM becomes 13th MRO location
AFI KLM E&M’s inclusion marks the 13th active location within the network. Among several renowned providers in Europe supporting GTF MRO work, AFI KLM E&M will become the third facility in the region to offer full disassembly, assembly, and test capability for the PW1500G engine.
Marc Meredith, the vice president of GTF Engine Aftermarket at Pratt & Whitney, emphasized the expansion efforts within the network.
He stated, “Pratt & Whitney has announced two facility expansions and three partner shop activations across our network in the first half of this year alone.”
“With the fleet growing at such a rapid pace, it is more critical than ever to ensure that our network has world-class MRO providers like AFI KLM E&M to provide top-notch services in close proximity to our customers.”
The GTF MRO network
The GTF MRO network comprises leading MRO companies in the industry. Currently, there are 13 active GTF MRO engine centers worldwide, and an additional six are expected to be operational by 2025.
In a recent statement addressing issues, the manufacturer noted the importance of the global MRO network, saying: “To support the growing fleet, Pratt & Whitney is expanding GTF MRO capacity globally – within its own shops and with network partners – to handle increasing aftermarket demand.”
“We are focused on growing GTF engine aftermarket output by increasing material availability and expanding global capacity across the GTF engine MRO network,” said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney.
The induction of the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine by Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance marks a significant milestone in their partnership, and a key expansion of the MRO network.
With AFI KLM E&M’s expertise in geared turbofan engine overhauls, they are well-prepared to meet the needs of operators in Europe and beyond.
