More than 1,000 Airbus jet engines will need to be removed from passenger planes and inspected to check for microscopic cracks over the coming months, according to engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.
The engine builder’s parent company RTX Corp. (formerly Raytheon Technologies) revealed in a press release that a "rare condition" in powdered metal used to build PW1100engines—produced to power Airbus’ twin-engined, midsize A320neo-model jets between 2015 and 2021—meant that 1,200 of more than 3,000 units need to be taken out and examined for microcracks that would indicate accelerated fatigue. The issue would also affect engines used in Airbus A321neo models.
According to Reuters, Pratt & Whitney discovered microscopic contaminants in the powdered metal that was used to manufacture the high-pressure turbine discs that constitute part of the PW1100’s engine core.
"Pratt & Whitney has determined that a rare condition in powder metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated fleet inspection," RTX Corp. said in a press release. During a call with analysts, RTX Corp.’s COO Christopher Calio explained that the impurities found in these production materials might shorten the lifespan of affected engine components.
Of the 1,200 potentially faulty engines, 200 must be inspected by mid-September, due to the amount of time they’ve already spent in service. The rest will need to receive inspections in the next nine to 12 months.
In order to swap out these turbine discs, the engine needs to be removed from each plane, disassembled and then reassembled with the replacement parts in place, a process that CEOGreg Hayes said could take up to two months.
According to Travel Weekly, major U.S. carriers Spirit and Frontier fly approximately 80 of the single-aisle A320neo jets each, while the fleets of Delta, JetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines also include A321neo aircraft. Forbes reported that the A320neo became the fastest-selling plane in history after its 2014 introduction.
Calio said that Pratt & Whitney units presently in production are wholly unaffected by the issue, and that the company is continuing to produce new engines and components. Airbus affirmed that the recall does not indicate any flight safety issues. RTX Corp. also gave assurances that current shipments and new engines, which were made following a change in the production process, aren’t impacted.
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