Pratt & Whitney has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) for the Chinese company to take a stake in the new PW6000 engine.
Talks are underway between P&W and AVIC over which components could be built in the People's Republic for the 67-107kN (15,000-24,000lb) turbofan.
AVIC would enter the project as a risk-and revenue-sharing partner, says P&W, which adds that it has already formed a joint venture with AVIC's engine production company at Chengdu and plans a second such agreement in Xian.
P&W-China president Lyman Marshall describes the PW6000 as: "An ideal engine for the new 100-passenger aircraft such as the A31X being planned in China and Europe."
A selection for an aircraft in 1998 could see the PW6000 entering service as early as 2002.
Source: Flight Daily News
