Geoff Thomas
Not every engine company with an internet-based initiative can claim a 15% improvement in the rate of in-flight shutdowns and shop visits since their website was launched. But that's precisely what Pratt & Whitney is saying about its #1 Reliability site, launched in 1998.By sharing detailed and customised information, instantaneously around the world, P&W's #1 Reliability website is bringing marked improvements in engine fleet management.
The web-site provides airlines with integrated information packages ranging from available product upgrades tailored to individual fleets, to the best maintenance practices in aviation, and routine day-to-day parts ordering. Information is tracked and organised so that it gives every level of a customer's organisation the information required, whether they be procurement, engine maintenance or flight operations.
Each customer - and P&W has 17,000 commercial engines in service - has dedicated pages summarising data for an entire engine fleet down to detailed tracking of each engine.
Maintenance planning guides illustrate the best practices to increase engine life and cut costs of both operation and maintenance, while best maintenance practice pages outline what individual airlines have done to improve the reliability of their engines that can be shared by all customers.
Also included is a technical expert site, which comprises a library of information developed by some 70 specialists. Much of it is based on the hundreds of engine operation and maintenance questions P&W answers each month. These pages are easy to use since they are organised by engine model down to engine modules and sub-components.
Source: Flight Daily News
