E-Paper
GoAir, IndiGo get more time to change faulty P&W engines
In a relief for GoAir and IndiGo, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended the deadline for the airlines to replace the problematic Pratt &
In a relief for GoAir and IndiGo, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended the deadline for the airlines to replace the problematic Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines in their 13 and 23 Airbus A320neo aircraft, respectively, to November 24.
However, the deadline for IndiGo to replace all the P&W engines in its total 98 A320neo aircraft continues to remain the same — January 31, 2020.
Earlier, the DGCA had asked IndiGo and GoAir to replace the problematic engines in their neo aircraft with modified low pressure turbine (LPT) engines by November 19 and November 13, respectively. LPT is a major component of the problematic engines which have been facing issues.
The DGCA, in a statement issued on Friday, said it has reviewed both the airlines and found that GoAir has fitted modified LPT engines in nine of its total 13 neo aircraft, while Indigo has replaced engines in 15 of its 23 neo aircraft till date. Noting that the changes made by the airlines were “below expectations”, the aviation regulator said it was extending the deadline as the availability of the modified engines is an issue.
Arun Kumar, director general of DGCA, said, “The concerned airlines have to make all efforts to comply with the deadlines. Non-adherence to any of the timelines stated above will entail in grounding of the aircraft after the due date.”
Both the airlines declined to comment on the matter.
On November 1, the DGCA had asked IndiGo to ensure all its A320neo aircraft have the modified LPT engines. The regulator had stated that if the aircraft are found flouting this condition, they would not be allowed to fly beyond January 31.
The issue was taken up on urgent basis after four cases of Indigo aircraft engines stalling came into light in October. After studying these incidents, all of which took place during the take-off, the regulator found that the trouble was with those P&W engines which had completed 2,900 hours of flying. The DGCA had then issued directives to Indigo and GoAir to replace at least one of the two engines in their A320neo aircraft with the modified LPT engines.
In September, the DGCA had suspended three IndiGo pilots and two engineers for not reporting incidents of engine vibrations in Airbus A320 aircraft fitted with P&W’s neo engines.
Three more similar incidents, dating back to March, had come to light after the DGCA carried out an audit of the airline between April 15 and April 18. In late August, the regulator had called for a meeting of executives from IndiGo and GoAir following more reports of engine vibrations.
