India Steps Up Scrutiny of Pratt's Balky New Engines on Airbus Jets
- Geared turbofan glitches ‘not solved,’ aviation minister says
- Powerplant for Airbus A320neo competes with GE-Safran’s Leap
An Airbus A320neo aircraft in Toulouse, France, on Sept. 25, 2014.
Photographer: Balint Porneczi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Regulators in India are stepping up scrutiny of Pratt & Whitney’s new jet engines as the U.S. manufacturer tries to overcome glitches that have grounded some Airbus SE planes.
The geared turbofan engines are now being inspected after as few as 350 hours of operation, down from initial plans for every 1,000 hours, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said in an interview in New Delhi. Power plants that don’t meet all requirements will be pulled from service, and the government denied Pratt’s request to allow some failed engines to continue to be used for short intervals, he said.