New maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities for the
GTF engine expected in 2026
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Nov. 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business,
and Air New Zealand today hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a
US$150 million, 14,000 square meter
expansion of its Christchurch Engine Centre. The expansion will add
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for the Pratt
& Whitney GTF™ engine in New
Zealand, with capacity for up to 140 GTF engine overhauls
planned annually by 2032.
Construction of the facility expansion begins this month, and
the first GTF engine overhaul is expected in the fourth quarter of
2026. The Christchurch Engine Centre was founded in 1948 by Air New
Zealand. In 2001, the airline and Pratt & Whitney partnered to
develop the joint venture, focusing on the maintenance, repair and
overhaul of JT8D then V2500 engines. Today, the Christchurch Engine
Centre employs more than 400 highly skilled staff and has
overhauled more than 1,500 IAE International Aero Engines AG V2500
engines.
"This project between Air New Zealand and global aviation leader
Pratt & Whitney marks a significant investment to New Zealand's economy, helps expand our
aviation industrial capability, and adds 200 high value jobs into
the Canterbury region," said
Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of
New Zealand.
"The Christchurch Engine Centre has a proven track record of
delivering exceptional performance and quality with a highly
capable workforce," said Shane Eddy,
president, Pratt & Whitney. "With the Asia-Pacific region projected to experience
the highest aviation growth globally over the next 20 years, it is
a strategic imperative for us to invest here and partner with
Air New Zealand as we continue to expand the GTF MRO network in
support of the growing fleet."
The GTF engine is the most fuel-efficient and sustainable engine
for single aisle aircraft available today. GTF engines lower fuel
consumption and carbon emissions up to 20% relative to previous
generation aircraft and have a 75% smaller noise footprint. Around
the world, GTF engines have saved airlines 2 billion gallons of
fuel and 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions since entry
into service in 2016.
Air New Zealand Chair Dame Therese
Walsh said the 14,000 square meter expansion will allow the
airline to service its V2500 engines powering the A321ceo aircraft
and PW1100G-JM GTF engines on the A320/A321neo aircraft right here
in Aotearoa.
"The introduction of new GTF repair capability will be completed
in 2026, and the Christchurch Engine Centre will maintain, repair
or overhaul both the V2500 and PW1100G-JM engines for many years to
come," said Walsh. "As our fleet of Airbus aircraft continues to
grow, with another four expected to arrive over the next three
years, the importance of this facility to our airline also grows
allowing us to continue to deliver on our purpose of connecting
Kiwis with each other and the world."
"The investment is a real vote of confidence in the Christchurch
Engine Centre and our city. The creation of 200 new jobs is great
news for our local economy and further positions Christchurch as a world-class technology and
aerospace hub," said Christchurch
mayor Phil Mauger. "I can't wait to
see the new facility take off."
Christchurch Engine Centre is committed to Pratt & Whitney's
sustainability vision to protect the environment along with the
health and safety of its employees and the community around it. The
expansion of the facility will continue the journey of this
commitment as well as bring in innovations and new initiatives for
a greener business and greener world.
Read more about Pratt & Whitney's commitment to
sustainability here.
About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand's story started in 1940, first
taking to the skies between Auckland and Sydney on a flying boat - a Short S30. Known
for its warm Kiwi hospitality, today, the airline has operating
aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to
ATRs and Q300s, offering customers comfort in the latest most
efficient jets and turboprops. It's a modern fuel-efficient fleet
with an average age of 8.7 years. Air New Zealand's global
network of passenger and cargo services centres around New Zealand. In 2023, the airline flew more
than 16 million passengers. Air New
Zealand was named 2024 World's Safest Airline by the
Australian rating service AirlineRatings.com, highlighting the
airline's laser-focus on safety and won Best Corporate Reputation
in New Zealand in 2023 – the 9th
year in a row.
Air New Zealand has a
well-connected domestic business, connecting customers and cargo to
20 different regions around New
Zealand. Internationally, the airline has direct flights to
major cities across Australia,
Asia, the Pacific Islands and the
US, and through its strong relationships with alliance partners,
offers customers more choice and convenience to connect further
afield to hundreds of destinations. Air New Zealand has a particular focus on
sustainability and its Sustainability Framework helps guide
the airline's efforts in tackling some of New Zealand's and the world's most complex
challenges. Airpoints, Air New Zealand's loyalty programme, is seen
as the most valuable loyalty programme in New Zealand with more than 4 million members.
It allows members to earn Airpoints Dollars™ and Status Points for
VIP benefits in the air and on the ground. Air New Zealand aircraft are proudly identified by
its distinct tail livery of the Mangōpare, the
Māori symbol of the hammerhead shark which represents
strength, tenacity, and resilience.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a
world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft
engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more, visit
www.prattwhitney.com.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX
pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we
connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses
– Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are
advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and
developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing
to help global customers address their most critical challenges.
The company, with 2023 sales of $69
billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please
contact:
Air New
Zealand media@airnz.co.nz or +64 21 747
320
Pratt & Whitney corporatepr@rtx.com
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