Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) made a series of exciting announcements ahead of HAI Heli-Expo in Dallas, Texas.
AW139 program to take delivery of 2,000th PT6C-67C engine
P&WC will soon deliver its 2,000th PT6C-67C helicopter engine to Leonardo Helicopters, maker of the iconic AgustaWestland139, which entered into service in 2003. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
The PT6C-67C engine gives the intermediate-twin helicopter exceptional power capability with each engine producing 1,700 shaft horsepower (shp) thermodynamic. The helicopter can accommodate two pilots and up to 15 passengers as it conducts challenging multi-role operations around the world on missions such as emergency medical services, search and rescue, oil and gas transport, executive/private transport, utility, police and security, military duties.
“We have enjoyed an exemplary relationship with Leonardo Helicopters over the years and achieving this milestone speaks to the value of that relationship and the enduring popularity of the AW139 helicopter program,” said Irene Makris, vice president, Marketing, P&WC, who is responsible for the company’s helicopter engine portfolio.
“The PT6C-67C has best-in-class power reserve and outstanding power-to-weight ratio in a wide range of conditions, including hot and high. It also boasts standard-setting durability and reliability. The engine provides unmatched economics in its segment thanks to its low operating costs — helping to propel both customers’ aircraft and their businesses.
“For example, the engine has a time between overhaul (TBO) interval of 5,000 hours, giving operators the competitive advantage of having more time on wing.”
“We’re fortunate to be living the life of a successful product,” added Tim Swail, vice president, Customer Programs. “The PT6C-67C has been a stellar performer since its debut and it has allowed us to take engine maintenance to the next level. We currently have more than 350 PT6C-67C engines enrolled in our Fleet Management Program (FMP) plans. FMP plans provide tailored maintenance solutions for operators, giving them the ability to predict their maintenance costs, increase the value of their helicopter assets, and also create peace of mind by avoiding unexpected engine maintenance costs.”
“As we celebrate the amazing milestone of over 1,000 AW139s sold to customers worldwide, we’re equally excited to do it together with Pratt & Whitney Canada, a long-established key partner to us, for their engine delivery achievement,” said Leonardo Helicopter managing director Daniele Romiti.
The AW139 and the PT6C-67C engine have been certified for P&WC’s FAST (Flight Acquisition Storage and Transmission) solution and there is growing interest in this innovative new technology.
FAST is a state-of-the-art solution that captures, analyzes and sends flight data recorder and engine trend, health and usage data to customers within minutes of landing. Putting this key information at their fingertips helps to maximize aircraft availability, optimize maintenance planning, reduce operating costs and avoid delays and cancellations.
10 million hours of flight for PW200
The company’s PW200 helicopter engine has achieved 10 million hours of flight powering the majority of light-twin helicopters around the world such as the AW109E Power and AW109 Grand from Leonardo, the H135 from Airbus Helicopters, the Bell 427 and Bell 429 from Bell Helicopters and the MD 900/902 Explorer.
“This is an important milestone that must be viewed in the context of the more than 700 million hours that P&WC’s entire engine fleet has flown over the years,” said Irene Makris, vice president, Marketing, P&WC. “The numbers represent an incredible critical mass of on-wing experience, and provide us with a rich database of information that drives our customer service programs and lets us serve our customers on a highly reliable basis. The numbers also speak to the enduring relationships we have developed with operators around the world — some 12,300 of them in more than 200 countries and territories.”
On Dec. 23, 2016, P&WC celebrated the 25th anniversary of the certification of the first PW200 engine — the PW206A, which was selected by MD Helicopters to power the MD 900 Explorer. A later variant of the helicopter, the MD 902 Explorer, is powered by the PW207E engine.
“With the new technologies we have built into every variant of the PW200 engine, it continues to attract more customers and offers a compelling value proposition for the helicopters it powers,” concluded Makris.
A leading engine family
The PW200 now powers more light-twin helicopters than any other engine in this segment. There are more than 3,500 PW200 engines currently flying in 80 countries around the world.
It is regarded as the industry benchmark for the 600 to 700 shaft horsepower class. Its superior engine performance, low maintenance costs and extensive customer support network make it the engine of choice to power modern light-twin helicopters, which enjoy strong demand in EMS as well as utility, law enforcement and general business aviation.
With only three major rotating components, the PW200 is simple in concept. The engine requires minimal line maintenance, as there is no requirement for scheduled borescope inspections or vibration checks.
New technologies, advanced materials and coatings provide greater power and lower fuel consumption, combined with low emissions and high reliability. The reliability of the PW200 family of engines is unmatched, at rates that are 10 times better than the industry standard. In addition, electronic controls enable reduced pilot workload, ease of helicopter operation and a simple one-engine inoperative pilot training feature.
Enhanced service capabilities
P&WC has further enhanced its capacity to provide rapid, tailored customer support with Librestream’s Onsight, a new field-collaboration solution that connects the aircraft technician and remote specialist using an interactive audio-video technology platform.
Building on its customer service leadership in the aviation industry, P&WC is able to deliver expedited support and faster response times to helicopter operators through this powerful service.
Available to customers since the beginning of the year, the new solution helps further enable rapid diagnosis and resolution of issues in the field by making it possible for remote experts to inspect helicopter engines “virtually” in close collaboration with the customer.
The platform provides a live and interactive link between the customer, P&WC’s field support representative and the P&WC customer engineer, which captures high quality video and images even in low-bandwidth areas where Wi-Fi and cellular signals are weak.
Thanks to this dynamic connection, teams are better equipped to rapidly troubleshoot issues and make proactive and preventive maintenance decisions — even if they are in remote locations on opposite sides of the globe.
The solution, which is accessed via a software app installed on the remote expert’s computer and the customer’s smartphone, can save up to 12 hours by delivering virtual on-site support and technical expertise to the customer where and when they need it.
“We continue to invest in technologies and solutions that enable proactive and predictive maintenance and data-driven decisions that positively impact our customers’ bottom line through increased aircraft availability and reduced costs,” said Timothy Swail, vice president, Customer Programs, P&WC.
“The Onsight solution keeps us connected with customers in their environments in real time and provides immediate access to remote experts for rapid problem solving and issue resolution.”
In addition to live video and audio, the platform includes features such as borescope connectivity, remote-camera control (camera angle, lighting, etc.), on-screen drawing and image sharing.
The Onsight solution provides the ability to develop knowledge-based content, improve maintenance team productivity, and deliver effective remote training of maintenance teams in the field. Videos can be recorded for future customer use, training and reference and the Onsight solution enhances the confidentiality of information by means of advanced wireless security, authentication and encryption, network controls and privacy settings.
Luftfahrt Bundesamt approves TBO extension
German emergency medical services (EMS) provider DRF Luftrettung is poised to significantly extend time on wing for its fleet of 17 H135P2 helicopters from Airbus Helicopters powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW206B2 engine.
Germany’s aviation authority, Luftfahrt Bundesamt, has approved the extension of the time between overhaul (TBO) on DRF Luftrettung’s engines from 4,000 hours to 4,500 hours on all 17 helicopters.
“Providing customers with flexibility and customized programs is key to our service delivery model and we worked closely with DRF Luftrettung to help enable this TBO extension,” said Tim Swail, vice president, Customer Programs, P&WC.
“Finding solutions to keeping the fleet flying longer and as cost-effectively as possible is what we do. Whether it is supporting a TBO extension, delivering an on-condition maintenance program or a new P&WCSMART maintenance solution — we’re continuously looking for ways to deliver bottom-line value to our customers.”
As is practice in such instances, DRF Luftrettung submitted two of its PW206B2 engines that had reached 4,000 hours to P&WC for inspection. Based on the condition of those two engines, P&WC recommended the remaining fleet of engines could have their TBO interval increased from 4,000 to 4,500 hours. Subsequently, the German aviation authority approved P&WC’s recommendation.
The TBO extension enhances the value the engines provide to DRF Luftrettung and its EMS missions by keeping the aircraft flying longer. It also allows DRF Luftrettung to fly its engine fleet for another 16,000 hours before incurring overhaul costs. The extension was made possible because the engines fly a common mission under common operating and environmental conditions.
Last year, Airbus Helicopters celebrated the 20th anniversary of the entry into service of the H135 helicopter. The PW206B engine has become the light twin benchmark in its class for rugged dependability and excellent operating economics. Thanks to its unprecedented levels of reliability and economy, the PW200 family of engines is on a majority of the light-twin helicopters in the world.
P&WC will be at HAI Heli-Expo 2017, booth No. 7117. Interested operators are invited to drop by to speak with a marketing or customer service representative.
