DGCA steps in to solve P&W aircraft engines’ supply chain issues

IndiGo has more than 300 aircraft in its fleet that runs on engines made by P&W and CFM International. Go First has 61 aircraft powered by P&W engines.

India’s aviation regulator has stepped in after 60 Airbus A320 planes of budget airlines IndiGo and Go First powered by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines were grounded due to maintenance problems and lack of spare parts, two officials aware of the development said.

IndiGo has more than 300 aircraft in its fleet that runs on engines made by P&W and CFM International. Go First has 61 aircraft powered by P&W engines. (PTI)

The carriers are facing major operational issues after 36 aircraft of IndiGo and 24 aircraft of Go First were grounded due to challenges faced by maintenance repair and overhaul (MROs) facilities on hardware and supply chain constraints, they said, declining to be named.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken up the issue with P&W and has expressed concern over the grounding of the A320 fleet of Indian carriers because of non-availability of Pratt & Whitney engines,” a civil aviation ministry official said. “Go First seems to be facing more issues due to this matter.”

IndiGo has more than 300 aircraft in its fleet that runs on engines made by P&W and CFM International. Go First has 61 aircraft powered by P&W engines.

P&W said it is actively working to mitigate the situation by improving supply chain performance and the availability of parts needed at their maintenance facilities.

“We expect industry-wide supply chain pressures to ease later this year, which will support increased output of new and overhauled engines,” a company spokesperson said. “In the interim, we are providing direct logistical support to our suppliers as well as developing solutions to improve engine durability in hot and harsh operating environments.”

P&W needs to add another maintenance facility in addition to the existing three in Asia in Singapore, China and Japan, a second official said. It would help in cutting down the time and cost for transportation of engines to the company’s MRO facilities, he said.

“The issue of adding one more facility has been taken up by the DGCA with P&W representatives during meetings in the past, with a demand of setting up an MRO in or around India to support the Indian fleet of P&W engines,” the second official said.

Spokespersons of both IndiGo and Go First refused to comment on the matter.

Although there are global supply chain issues in the wake of the war in Ukraine, there have been problems with P&W engines for quite some time, officials said.

P&W and Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) had signed an agreement in 2019 to the effect that P&W staff would carry out maintenance and provide training to AIESL personnel. Two engines were inducted after the agreement. However, the P&W team had to return to the US and no work could be undertaken at the AIESL facility due to the pandemic. Tools loaned from P&W were also returned.

Queried on P&W’s plans on an additional facility in or around India, its spokesperson said: “We are constantly evaluating the size and shape of the GTF MRO network to ensure that it can support the growing fleet and customer demand – in India and the rest of the world.”