Pratt Whitney and Korean Air Announce First GTF Engine Induction
EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 8, 2023 – Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, announced today that Korean Air has inducted its first Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine. Korean Air joined the GTF MRO network in 2021 to provide full disassembly, assembly and test capability for the PW1100G-JM engine, which powers Airbus A320neo family aircraft.
“We are expanding our MRO technologies and capabilities with today’s most advanced engine technologies with the introduction of the GTF engine,” said Jong Seok Yoo, Executive Vice President and Chief Safety & Operating Officer at Korean Air. “With this operational milestone, we are ready to support not only operators in our region, but those from around the world.”
Pratt & Whitney has announced three facility expansions and four shop activations in 2023 alone. Since 2019, the GTF MRO network has more than doubled in size. Korean Air marks the 15th active location and the seventh in the Asia-Pacific region for PW1100G-JM engine overhaul, alongside Eagle Services Asia (ESA) in Singapore, IHI and MHI in Japan, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and Ameco in China, and Taipei-based China Airlines. By 2025, the company expects to have 19 active GTF MRO shops.
“Pratt & Whitney remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborating with industry-leading MRO providers globally to increase GTF MRO capacity,” said Marc Meredith, vice president of aftermarket for GTF engines at Pratt & Whitney. “Korean Air brings more than 40 years of advanced maintenance experience to the network and we’re confident they will deliver the level of service we expect.”
Korean Air and Pratt & Whitney began their relationship more than 60 years ago, when the company operated 707 aircraft with JT3D engines. Today, the airline operates several GTF-powered aircraft, including eight A321neo, with an additional 42 on order, as well as ten A220-300.
Pratt & Whitney and its subsidiaries and joint ventures, including Pratt & Whitney Canada, International Aero Engines and Engine Alliance, also power Korean Air’s fleet of A330 and 777 aircraft with PW4000 engines, A380 aircraft with GP7200 engines, and AW139 helicopters with PT6C engines. In addition, Pratt & Whitney Canada supplies auxiliary power units for Korean Air’s fleet of A380, 747 and 787 aircraft. The GTF MRO network is part of Pratt & Whitney EngineWise® solutions, which provide operators with a variety of aftermarket services resulting in long-term, sustainable value. For more information, visit prattwhitney.com/enginewise.
Korean Air's engine maintenance center began operation in 1972 and based on its overhaul capabilities and experience on various engine models, including the PW4000 Series, it has successfully provided maintenance services not only for its own engines but also for third party engines. With the GTF engine induction, Korean Air plans to further solidify its position as a professional engine MRO through stronger cooperation with Pratt & Whitney.
About Korean Air MRO
With the largest aircraft maintenance facility in Korea, Korean Air's MRO division provides a comprehensive range of MRO services from aircraft/engine maintenance and parts repair to aircraft painting, parts supply/leasing and technical consulting. For more information, please visit https://mro.koreanair.com/
About Korean Air
Serving the world for more than 50 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 27 million passengers in 2019, pre-COVID. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 120 cities in 43 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 156 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees. For more information about Korean Air, please visit www.koreanair.com, Korean Air Newsroom, facebook.com/KoreanAir, instagram.com/KoreanAirworld and Twitter@KoreanAir_KE.
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 prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, we push 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 for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
