LATAM Choses Pratt & Whitney for 146 A320neo Aircraft

DALLAS — The LATAM Airlines Group (LA) has selected the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan, aka the GTF engine, for the remaining A320neo aircraft it has on order. This decision comes after the group's initial order of GTF engines for over 40 aircraft in 2013.

With the inclusion of the remaining options, this new agreement will cover up to 146 aircraft in total. Pratt & Whitney will also offer long-term engine maintenance services to LA through the EngineWise® Comprehensive service agreement.

Santiago, Chile-based LA is the leading airline group in Latin America. It has a strong presence in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, along with international operations spanning Latin America, Europe, Oceania, the United States, and the Caribbean.

Notably, the South American carrier was the first airline to introduce the Airbus A320neo in the region. The airline operates a fleet of over 80 Airbus A320ceo aircraft powered by V2500 engines and 16 Airbus A320neo family aircraft powered by GTF engines.

Executives' Perspicuity

Roberto Alvo, the CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, expressed his dedication to connecting South America to the world and doing so in an environmentally conscious manner by reducing their carbon footprint.

Alvo expressed pride in strengthening its partnership with Pratt & Whitney to power its A320neo family of aircraft, enabling them to achieve these goals. He further mentioned their plans to expand the fleet to over 100 A320neo aircraft in the upcoming years.

Rick Deurloo, the President of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney, expressed the longstanding connection between Pratt & Whitney and LATAM, which extends over seven decades, starting from their collaboration on the Douglas DC-3 aircraft powered by the Twin Wasp engine.

Deurloo highlighted the remarkable economic and sustainability advantages that the GTF engines have already brought to LATAM. He further emphasized Pratt & Whitney's commitment to delivering even greater value to LATAM in the future.

About the P&W GTF Engine

The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine, along with Collins Aerospace nacelle and accessories, offers exceptional fuel efficiency and remarkably low greenhouse gas emissions specifically designed for the Airbus A320neo family.

These high-bypass geared turbofan engine has demonstrated significant reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, achieving up to 16% to 20% and up to 50% reductions, respectively. Additionally, the GTF engine has shown noise footprint reductions of up to 75% and complies with operating on 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) while successfully undergoing tests on 100% SAF.

The GTF engine aims to reduce the aviation industry's carbon footprint, assisting in achieving the industry's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. The engine manufacturer says that the new turbofan engine serves as a foundation for future advancements in propulsion technologies, including the Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage engine and beyond.

Feature Image: Photo: Thiago Machado/Airways

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