The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently announced that certain Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines with material anomalies will only minimally affect the IndiGo airline fleet. Out of the 15 engines powering IndiGo planes that will be impacted, 13 are currently non-operational, lessening the immediate impact. IndiGo is the prominent customer for A320 planes, which use P&W engines, and Go First’s A320 neo fleet is also equipped with these engines.
P&W, based in the US, recently revealed that an unusual condition in the powdered metal used for certain engine parts could potentially decrease their lifespan. This issue extends to approximately 1,002 PW1100G engines globally. As a result, P&W has issued Service Instructions (SI) outlining the serial numbers of affected engine series that must be removed for Angle Ultrasonic Scan Inspection (AUSI) during scheduled maintenance before September 15.
A senior official from DGCA explained that the impact on IndiGo’s fleet would be minimal. Specifically, out of the 13 affected engines (11 of which are non-operational), only two currently operational engines need to be removed. This limited removal ensures that the capacity of Indian carriers won’t be significantly affected during the upcoming peak season.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers’ views on P&W engines
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers mentioned during a recent earnings call that a small number of P&W engines would be impacted initially. The CEO acknowledged the communication from P&W regarding potential manufacturing anomalies and the necessity for additional inspections. He stressed the ongoing coordination with P&W to determine the precise extent and timing of the inspection process.
However, P&W is facing challenges beyond this latest issue. Supply chain disruptions have already led to some grounded aircraft within the IndiGo fleet due to engine-related problems. Both IndiGo and Go First have previously encountered engine issues with their P&W engines, which have resulted in regulatory authorities grounding certain aircraft.
Go First, facing financial difficulties, halted operations on May 3 and attributed P&W engine problems as a key factor in their decision to seek voluntary insolvency resolution. A dispute between the grounded airline and P&W continues.
The DGCA’s announcement regarding the minimal impact of material anomalies in P&W engines on IndiGo’s fleet highlights that only a small portion of operational engines need to be removed for inspection. With most of the affected engines currently non-operational, Indian carriers are not expected to experience significant capacity disruptions during the upcoming peak season.