P&WC Completes First PT6A-140 Overhaul

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has successfully completed the first-ever PT6A-140 overhaul following the turboprop engine’s debut and certification on the Cessna Grand Caravan 208B EX aircraft in 2012. The overhaul was completed at the time of first scheduled overhaul for AIRKENYA Express.

“Keeping our customers flying and their operations running smoothly is at the heart of our MRO services,” said Satheeshkumar Kumarasingam, Vice President, Commercial Services. “We are committed to providing competitive and comprehensive solutions and support for the more than 2,000 P&WC engines flying in Africa and we are pleased AIRKENYA Express entrusted us to overhaul their PT6A-140 – the first ever since the launch of this new engine.”

The overhaul was performed at Pratt & Whitney Engine Services in West Virginia, USA. The engine was originally delivered to AIRKENYA Express in 2013. During the maintenance, the customer was supplied with a rental engine from P&WC Engine Leasing to ensure the airline’s continued operations.

AIRKENYA Express is also using P&WC’s FAST (Flight, Acquisition, Storage and Transmission) solution on its PT6A-140-powered Grand Caravan EX aircraft, providing a turnkey diagnostic and prognostic system for data-driven intelligence. The FAST solution wirelessly transmits full-flight engine and aircraft data for analysis within minutes after engine shut down – delivering relevant and timely alerts and trends data to the customer to help maximize aircraft availability, optimize maintenance planning and operations, and reduce costs.

“We are extremely pleased with the reliability and performance of the PT6A-140 in our fleet and the excellent support from P&WC in completing this first overhaul to our high expectations,” stated Captain Dino Bisleti, General Manager, AIRKENYA Express.

The PT6A-140 series has established itself as the benchmark in its class, setting new standards for performance, fuel efficiency and reliability. Over 350 PT6A-140 engines have been produced to date, which is a testament to their remarkable performance and operating economics – including 15 percent more power and 5 percent better specific fuel consumption. The engine’s unrivalled power and versatility are backed by a proactive, seamless service and support network focused first and foremost on customers’ business needs.

Based out of Africa’s busiest light aircraft airport, Wilson Airport in Nairobi, AIRKENYA Express has been operating PT6A engines for over 25 years and PW100 engines for over a decade. AIRKENYA Express’ fleet – including the Cessna Grand Caravan as well as Twin Otter, DHC 8-100 and DHC 7-100 aircraft – is powered by P&WC engines.

In addition to the current overhaul capabilities offered by P&WC and starting in 2017, PT6A-140 overhauls will also be available at P&WC’s facility at MTU Aero Engines in Germany, providing customers with even greater flexibility when it comes to maintaining their engines. Furthermore, P&WC plans to expand its global network to include four new Mobile Repair Technician teams strategically located in Kenya, South Africa, France and Qatar.