General Electric Engine Services and South Korea's Asiana Airlines have launched an engine support joint venture - GE On Wing Support-Korea - based at Seoul's Kimpo Airport. The company will support all engines in Asiana's widebody fleet and is expected to save the airline $20 million annually. Northwest Airlines has a four-year agreement to overhaul the Pratt &Whitney JT8Ds which power AirTran Airways' 35 McDonnell Douglas DC-9s and four Boeing 737-200s. Work will be carried out by Northwest's engine shop in Atlanta, Georgia. Taiwanese carrier Far Eastern Air Transport has signed a five-year fleet management contract worth $40 million with Pratt &Whitney Engine Services, covering engine overhaul and component repair for PW2037s which power its Boeing 757s. Martinair Holland has awarded a 15-year contract to SAirGroup's SR Technics division to provide full maintenance for its six Pratt &Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing MD-11s. Hamilton Sundstrand has been contracted by KLM to provide an on-site support programme at the carrier's maintenance facility at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. UK charter operator Sabre Airways has signed a seven-year contract with FLS Aerospace. The deal covers technical and heavy maintenance services on the airline's five Boeing 737-800s. The services will be provided through FLS' Aircraft Management Group. Singapore Airlines subsidiary SIA Engineering has commissioned what it says is Asia's largest engine test facility. Located near Singapore's Changi Airport, the S$35 million ($20.4 million) computerised facility is capable of handling engines with thrusts of up to 150,000lb (668kN). The engine test facility has approval to test Pratt & Whitney PW4056 and Rolls-Royce Trent 800 powerplants, with International Aero Engines V2500 capability set to be added by the end of the year. Trent 500 approval will follow.
Source: Flight International
