P&WCSMART™ Makes OEM Value More Accessible for PT6A Operators

The P&WCSMART™ HSI program for PT6A engines provides OEM parts, service, competitive pricing and complimentary enrollment in the new P&WCSMART™ Subscription Service. Our expert outlines this holistic approach to engine maintenance.

Creating a Predictable Maintenance Cost Environment

The P&WCSMARTprogram for PT6A engines was introduced in 2014 to support customers with mature aircraft, helping them save money and ease their decision to consider new genuine OEM parts when it comes to planning their major engine events. Based on its success, the portfolio has further expanded to include a hot section inspection (HSI) program and a new subscription service offering – supporting customers post-HSI right through overhaul with cost-effective maintenance solutions for their PT6A engines.

Launched earlier this year, the P&WCSMART Hot Section Inspection (HSI) Program delivers savings of up to US$40,000 on OEM genuine parts and service, plus a host of other benefits. One of these being a complimentary one-year enrollment in the new P&WCSMART SubscriptionService for PT6A engines which is available for several PT6A engine models between their HSI and overhaul.

The new subscription service includes coverage for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, parts replacement, mobile repair team support, digital engine services and more for a low annual fee – making it an ideal solution to bundle with the HSI program. We cover this new service in more detail in a separate article here.

The goal of our P&WCSMART solutions is to create an environment with no surprise costs for operators, because they want transparency and predictability in what’s going to happen explains Denis Latremouille, Associate Director, Business Development.

The HSI program and subscription service complement the existing P&WCSMART portfolio for PT6A engines, which provides various options tailored to operators’ needs and lifecycle stage such as flat-rate overhauls and capped-cost overhaul part programs.

We already had P&WCSMART programs for overhauls, which is the biggest maintenance expense general aviation operators face. We decided to make the HSI program available to the same customers, to cover the biggest mid-life expense for PT6A engines. The new subscription service further rounds things out, providing coverage and services post-HSI through overhaul, for a holistic and cost-effective approach to engine maintenance.

- Denis Latremouille, Associate Director, Business Development

OEM Quality at Competitive Rates

Customers don’t have to make a decision upfront. They can wait until the time of their engine inspection, then decide to opt into the program if the HSI reveals that the compressor turbine (CT) blade set must be replaced due to corrosion, sulfidation, or for performance reasons.

For eligible PT6A engines, the HSI program offers substantial savings by providing a credit covering the costs of labour for work done at both the fixed base operator and the OEM facility—typically in the range of US$10,000 to US$20,000, depending on the model—plus the cost of new shroud segments and spark igniters. Additional saving is also applicable with various other parts.

In addition to a one-year complimentary enrollment into P&WCSMART Subscription Service (which starts at US$7,500 per engine), customers also receive a $10,000 credit on their next overhaul under a P&WCSMART program, allowing them to continue benefiting from OEM services within the P&WC Global Network.

This P&WCSMART program provides customers with more value for their money. Performing an HSI in P&WC’s service network is priced competitively with other maintenance options, so you’ll get OEM parts and the expertise of the people who know the engine best, without having to pay a premium.

- Denis Latremouille, Associate Director, Business Development

For some customers, this can make the difference between replacing the blades at the time of the HSI with new OEM parts which provides a better performance and interturbine temperature (ITT) margin rather than using used blades.

With the P&WCSMART HSI program, customers will also return to flight with genuine OEM parts in their engine. What’s more, since the work is performed at a P&WC-approved shop with genuine parts, they will be covered by the manufacturers’ warranty, providing further peace of mind. 

Delivering Tailored Solutions for Mature Engines

As explained in a recent LinkedIn Pulse article, P&WCSMART solutions were created to provide operators of mature engines with competitive, guaranteed-cost solutions that will facilitate engine maintenance budgeting.

The initiative—which includes portfolios for PW100s, turboshaft engines and APUs as well as PT6As—has proven extremely popular since its launch in 2014. To date, over 1,700 engines have been overhauled through P&WCSMART, with many repeat customers.

The range of P&WCSMART solutions continues to evolve in order to better meet operators’ needs. The HSI program is the latest example of how this offering enables customers to obtain cost-effective maintenance without compromising on quality.

We want to address operator pain points such as the surprise and expense of maintenance events during the full overhaul interval. Whenever there’s an issue with their engine, we want customers to know we are there to help them. With the introduction of the HSI program, we’re providing them with a more comprehensive solution for their PT6A engines.

 - Denis Latremouille, Associate Director, Business Development

For more on this subject, find out how Brazilian operator TwoFlex is using the PT6A solution portfolio to optimize their maintenance planning and expenses in our earlier Airtime article, P&WCSMART™ Makes Maintenance More Cost Effective & Predictable.