Pratt & Whitney Claims Performance Advantages From "EcoPower" Engine Wash

Singapore Airlines Cargo and Air New Zealand have signed agreements for Pratt & Whitney's environmentally friendly EcoPower engine wash service.

Singapore has inked a three-year deal for washes will be performed by Eagle Services ASIA, a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Singapore Airlines Engineering Company, for the airline's PW4000-94" engines powering its fleet of Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft.

"We are committed to continually improving our environmental performance," said Tan Kai Ping, president of Singapore Airlines Cargo.  "EcoPower engine wash will help us achieve this by reducing our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel burn."

Air New Zealand's contract is for one-year, but is extendable up to five years. Under the agreement, the Christchurch Engine Center, a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Air New Zealand, will use portable equipment to perform the washes in either Auckland or Christchurch, New Zealand.  The service will be performed on all turbofan engine types within Air New Zealand's existing fleet, including CFM56-3, V2500, CF6-80C2, RB211-524G and Trent 800 engines, and will also cover the GE90-115B and Trent 1000 engines on order by the airline.  As Pratt & Whitney's New Zealand EcoPower franchise, the Christchurch Engine Center is able to wash other engine types and also can provide the service for third-party customers

"The EcoPower engine wash helps reduce fuel burn and decreases engine gas temperature, which in turn increases the amount of time an engine can stay on wing," said Vanessa Stoddart, group general manager of Technical Operations, Air New Zealand.  "The closed-loop system means the EcoPower engine wash also collects and recycles water, making it an environmentally sound process. This is a win-win. We can help improve our bottom line and help the environment."

"Air New Zealand has a reputation as one of the world's most environmentally friendly airlines," said Andrew Tanner, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Product Line Management. He said the process is an "innovative" way for airlines to further reduce both their environmental footprint and operating costs. He said it will help Air New Zealand reduce fuel burn by an additional 500,000 gallons per year. Pratt & Whitney says the process provides quantifiable environmental and economical benefits, demonstrated by the more than 15,200 washes performed on 54 different engine models.

FMI: www.pw.uts.com