Aviation

Pratt & Whitney Launches New engine center in Singapore

An RTX company, Pratt & Whitney, has announced the official opening of a 48,000-square-foot expansion of its engine center located in Singapore, called Eagle Services Asia (ESA). This year, the facility will increase its GTF capacity by two-thirds.

Robotics, automation, and machine learning are all integrated into the transformative technology insertion used at both ESA sites to boost productivity, relieve operator stress, and improve key maintenance and repair processes’ safety.

These innovations include a robotic arm to install and remove HPC bearing sleeves, a fully automated high-pressure compressor (HPC) rotor stacking system, and a Receive-in-Check Cobot to supplement the work performed by human inspectors.

SIA Engineering Company and Pratt & Whitney jointly formed ESA, which is a part of the Pratt & Whitney GTFTM MRO network. After the facility introduced GTF MRO capability in 2019, more than 500 GTF engine overhauls have been completed.

To support the expanding GTF fleet, Pratt & Whitney announced in 2023 the opening of six shops and the expansion of three GTF MRO facilities. With seven of these facilities located in the Asia Pacific region—ESA in Singapore, Korean Airlines in Korea, IHI and MHIAEL in Japan, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and AMECO in China, and China Airlines in Taiwan—there are currently fifteen operational GTF MRO engine centers worldwide. The company projects that there will be 19 GTF MRO shops operating globally by 2025.

Pratt & Whitney EngineWise® solutions, which offer operators a comprehensive range of aftermarket services that produce long-term, sustainable value, include the GTF MRO network.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.