Pratt Cautiously Optimistic On GTF MRO Outlook

Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G geared turbofan (GTF) inspection program continues to track as forecasted, with signs that MRO throughput is slowly improving on the strength of increased material flow and repair options.

PW1000G “MRO output” is up 20% year-to-date, Chris Calio, president of Pratt parent RTX, said on an Oct. 21 earnings call. “MRO output, as I’ve said pretty consistently, is the key to continuing to push down our AOG [aircraft on ground] levels,” he said.

Calio has targeted a 30% improvement as the sweet spot for driving down AOG numbers consistently. “I think we’re in a pretty good position to be able to hit that 30% for the full year,” he said.

Pratt is more than two years into what is expected to be a three-year surge to inspect PW1000Gs with parts that may contain contaminated powder metal (PM). The non-conforming components include key high-pressure turbine and compressor parts. Life limits on the most critical parts have been reduced, but Pratt is not producing enough conforming, full-life parts to meet both new engine and in-service demand.

Because of this, an unspecified number of engines undergoing PM inspections are being returned to the field with non-conforming parts that pass the checks. These engines must undergo follow-up inspections and have affected parts removed according to the new, reduced life limits, which adds to the PM-related operational disruptions.

RTX declines to say publicly when Pratt will have enough full-life parts to meet overhaul shop demand, or how many engines are going back into the field with non-conforming parts. The company points to several general trends that suggest the situation is improving. Among them: Isothermal forgings were up 16% in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago, while structural castings were up 29%.

“Exiting the third quarter, this material flow has supported a record high number of PW1100 Gate Three starts, which is where we reassemble engines during a shop visit, putting Pratt & Whitney in a position to deliver about 30% MRO output growth for the year,” Calio said.

Parts demand goes beyond the specific components flagged as part of the PM inspection plan. Earlier-than-expected heavy-work scope overhauls are boosting demand for many parts needed to send an engine back out with maximum on-wing time. Pratt’s guidance said PW1000-related groundings would average about 150 aircraft per day through the end of 2026.

Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery database shows 720 PW1000G-powered aircraft—about 30% of the in-service fleet—were on the ground for at least 30 days as of Oct. 20. The figures are slightly higher than year-ago comparables. Some aircraft are down for reasons unrelated to required inspections linked to the PM issue, but the accelerated checks are the primary driver in keeping affected Airbus A320neos, A220s, and Embraer E2s out of service.

Ground days, or the percentage of the fleet that does not operate on a given day as tracked by Aviation Week’s Tracked Aircraft Utilization data, show a similar inactivity trend. The PW1000G-powered fleet’s ground-day percentage has hovered around 35% for months. Comparable figures from its closest rival, the CFM Leap family, are 10-15%, while older, more maintenance-hungry competitors, notably the CFM56 and V2500, are 20-25%.

Among aircraft variants, the Pratt-powered A320neo fleet is the most affected. Fleet Discovery lists 47% of the fleet as parked or stored, and its September ground-day figure was 49%. Comparable figures for the Pratt-powered A321neo fleet show 23% on the ground, with a September ground-day figure of 27%.

The Pratt-powered A320neo entered service in early 2016, while the A321neo made its debut in late 2017. All PW1000G engines delivered from mid-2015 through the third quarter of 2021 are part of the PM-related inspection protocol.