Aviation

Airbus reposes faith in P&W, says engines within safety threshold

Updated : January 21, 2019 02:02 PM IST

Stanley's comments came after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently barred IndiGo and GoAir from flying Airbus A320neo aircraft, fitted with P&W engines, to Port Blair.

IndiGo and GoAir have inadvertently been impacted the most on account of these carriers operating flights fitted with P&W engines.

Airbus’ endorsement of the same could be seen as a boost to carriers that have bought its A320 Neos, for their fleets.

Airbus reposes faith in P&W, says engines within safety threshold

Amid the growing safety concerns with regards to the aircraft fitted with snag-prone Pratt and Whitney engines, aircraft-maker Airbus, reposing faith in P&W, has said that the engines are within the safety threshold.

“From a reliability standpoint, the engines are within the safety threshold. Let’s also not forget that all regulatory engines have certified these engines. Safety is not an issue," said Anand E Stanley, president and managing director, Airbus India, while speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of Vibrant Gujarat 2019.

Stanley's comments came after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently barred IndiGo and GoAir from flying Airbus A320neo aircraft, fitted with P&W engines, to Port Blair. The reason cited was runway for an emergency landing being more than an hour away from Port Blair.

The regulatory body's move came nearly a month after an IndiGo flight from Port Blair to Kolkata returned for an emergency landing in Port Blair after a mid-air engine shutdown.

IndiGo and GoAir have inadvertently been impacted the most on account of these carriers operating flights fitted with P&W engines.

However, Stanley ruled out any possibility of customers being discouraged from buying the company’s A320 Neos, fitted with the engines. “We continue to see orders for Pratt and Whitney engines for our A320 Neos,” said Stanley.

Stanley’s observations come even as the engines have crossed a million hours of flight time.

While Pratt and Whitney has been maintaining that its engines are safe and that most engines which reported problems have been replaced, Airbus’ endorsement of the same could be seen as a boost to carriers that have bought its A320 Neos, for their fleets.

In 2018, Airbus India notched up record numbers, delivering 66 flights in India. “The airline industry here is quite strong and will continue to register growth,” said Stanley. “Since there is high growth, there are also bright days ahead.”

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