Will Begin Overhauling Engines In 2017

Pratt & Whitney, together with joint venture partner, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (CEA), have signed an agreement to incorporate V2500 engine overhaul capability in their facility in Shanghai, China. The Pratt & Whitney Shanghai Engine Center ("Shanghai Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engine Maintenance Company Limited") will begin overhauling V2500 engines in 2017.

The engine center opened in 2009 to perform maintenance on CFM56 engines for customers around the world. The facility's in-depth repair capabilities, including its 10-meter test cell with capability of up to 80,000 pounds of thrust and state-of-the art information technology system, has provided maintenance, repair and overhaul services to airline customers in China and the Asia Pacific region.    

"Pratt & Whitney has helped keep our fleet running through its investment in cutting edge technology and advanced repair capability in engine maintenance, repair and overhaul," said Mr. Feng Liang, vice president of China Eastern Airlines. "We are pleased to expand our current partnership to include the V2500 engine services."

"The Shanghai Engine Center is a proven, high-quality engine maintenance provider in this very competitive Asia Pacific market," said Matthew Bromberg, president, Pratt & Whitney Aftermarket.  "Growing our capabilities at this facility exemplifies our commitment to providing operators with comprehensive services at a competitive cost."

China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is headquartered in Shanghai. As one of the three major airlines in mainland China, it flies a fleet of over 550 long-haul and short-haul aircraft with an average age of less than seven years. China Eastern aims to serve more than 100 million travelers in 2016 and ranks among the world's top five airlines in terms of passenger transportation volume. As an official member of SkyTeam, China Eastern has extended its flight network from Shanghai to 1,057 cities in 179 countries via close cooperation with SkyTeam member airlines.

The V2500 engine is offered through IAE International Aero Engines AG, a multinational aero engine consortium whose shareholders comprise Pratt & Whitney, Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation and MTU Aero Engines.

(Source: Pratt & Whitney news release. Image from file)

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