Engine development remains on track, says manufacturer, despite America West pull-out
Pratt & Whitney says it remains committed to completing development and certification of the PW6000 for the Airbus A318, despite the decision of its sole airline customer America West to change its order to take International Aero Engines V2500-powered A319/A320s instead.
Although P&W says the Phoenix, Arizona-based operator's order for 15 remaining officially "still on the books", it says the emphasis is now on trying to "cook up some new deals" for the engine, which is due to begin flight tests at Airbus as early as November. Despite the effective loss of America West, which was "the only airline customer we had left", P&W says the revised engine schedule "remains on track".
Under the new agreement America West will acquire 22 V2500-powered Airbus A320 family aircraft (a mix of A320s and A319s) of which 17 (10 A320s and seven A319s) will be purchased directly from the manufacturer and five will be leased from various lessors. America West plans to take delivery of the five leased aircraft in early 2005, and the remaining 17 aircraft would be purchased in late 2005 and 2006. The additional 22 aircraft will be used by the airline to meet its growth targets of 8 to 10% in 2005 and 2006, says Airbus which adds that "with respect to its existing A318 order" the new deal allows "the airline to better react to market conditions by enabling it to amend its 15 A318 delivery positions to A319s and A320s, if it so desires, or to no additional aircraft under certain conditions".
"It has been a tough start admittedly, but going forward we are still out selling the engine," says P&W, which is currently preparing to deliver the first three "production compliant" engines to Airbus for the start of flight tests in Toulouse (Flight International, 18-24 May). The effective loss of America West's firm business marks a new low point for the troubled engine effort which, based on its projected late 2005 entry-into-service target, is now four years behind the original schedule.
GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Source: Flight International
