Airline Renewing Whole P&WC Fleet Thanks to ''Capped Costs''
By Pratt & Whitney Customer Service
P&WCSMARTTM Maintenance Solutions for PW100 engines is designed to help airliners lower engine maintenance costs, extend time on wing and increase aircraft availability. A Manitoba airline explains how
Ever since the Manitoba airline Calm Air signed up for the P&WCSMARTTM Maintenance Solutions program for its PW121 and PW124B engines, it has been undergoing full overhauls, as they are now more affordable and more on course with their maintenance budget.
Previously, the airline customized the scope of its engine overhauls by opting for a cold section seal refurbishment along with inspection of a few critical areas instead of a full overhaul.
That has changed.
“Over the next few years, we will be refreshing our entire fleet of P&WC engines, which is become possible because of this program,” Joey Petrisor, Vice President of Maintenance, Calm Air said. "We’re able to go into an overhaul confident that we’ll get a reliable engine at an economical price.”
Joining the program has lowered the strain on the airline's budget, Joey explained to Airtime. Under the program, replaced engine parts like HPT vanes, LP stators, LP blades, GG cases, and intercases often get replaced with completely new parts, but priced in a range similar to used parts.
The P&WCSMART Maintenance Solutions means full capped cost overhauls from now on for Calm Air’s PW100 engines.
We believe that going forward we will benefit from fewer unscheduled removals, lower-cost overhauls and hot section inspections and, crucially, greater predictability. These are all very important to us as an operator.
- JOEY PETRISOR, VICE PRESIDENT OF MAINTENANCE, CALM AIR
Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Calm Air serves the north of the province and parts of Nunavut (Arctic Canada) with passenger, charter and cargo flights. Reliability is of highest importance in this cold-weather region.
Capped Costs Program Offers Many Benefits
“This program has been absolutely great for our fleet. It didn’t take us long to realize the benefits,” Joey reported. Among the benefits, Calm Air can now get new parts that previously fell outside their maintenance budget.
To date, Calm Air has overhauled or repaired seven engines by taking advantage of the P&WCSMART solutions that let operators replace worn parts with genuine, factory-new P&WC parts at prices competitive with used parts.
Prior to joining the P&WCSMART program, most of the parts utilized in our engines were repaired or serviceable parts, not new. Now, over 90% of parts are going in as new for essentially the same cost we were paying before.
- JOEY PETRISOR, VICE PRESIDENT OF MAINTENANCE, CALM AIR
P&WCSMART Maintenance Solutions have also made it easier for Calm Air to forecast and budget for overhauls, hot section inspections and other engine events.
P&WCSMART Maintenance Solutions include a wide range of customized programs for PW100, PT6A and turboshaft engines, including engine upgrades, exchanges and more. Check out our previous Airtime stories about operators in the field who are benefiting from our PT6A and turboshaft programs.
