IndiGo completes replacing Pratt & Whitney engines in A320neo fleet

IndiGo has reportedly completed mandatory replacement of Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines with modified engines in Airbus A320neo planes it operates before the August 31, 2020 deadline set by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). IndiGo has 106 such A320neo aircraft fitted with PW engines in its fleet.

In the wake of coronavirus-induced lockdown, the aviation regulator had earlier extended the deadline for both IndiGo and GoAir to replace unmodified Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines on their A320neo planes by three months to August 31. Before the extension, the deadline to replace unmodified engines on their Airbus A320neo planes had expired on May 31. The aviation regulator had already extended the deadline to May 31 from January 31.

Earlier in March this year, the aviation regulator had said that PW is in the process of establishing a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in the country. "This will significantly reduce the time taken for the upgrade. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of February," the aviation regulator had said.

IndiGo and GoAir's Pratt & Whitney engine-powered A320neo planes have been facing glitches since last year, causing large-scale flight disruptions affecting thousands of passengers and raising safety concerns. Subsequently, the DGCA warned IndiGo to modify the glitch-prone older PW engines on A320neo aircraft. 

The civil aviation regulator had intervened after four incidents of technical snags involving P&W-powered A320neo planes operated by IndiGo last October. The major glitches due to unmodified PW engines were Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT), gear box errors and engine vibration.Also read: DGCA mounts pressure on IndiGo over Pratt and Whitney engine issue

Also read: Fix Pratt & Whitney engine issue in 15 days or get grounded: DGCA tells IndiGo