Pratt to announce update of A320neo engine with more thrust – Reuters
People visit the Pratt & Whitney booth at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China, in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China September 28, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song
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Hartford, Conn., Dec 1 (Reuters) – Engine maker Pratt & Whitney is set to announce an improved version of its geared turbofan engine used by Airbus’ (AIR.PA) strong-selling A320neo jet family, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The update of Pratt’s GTF engine will boost fuel efficiency by 1% and deliver 4% higher thrust when it starts to roll out in 2024.
Pratt, owned by Raytheon Technologies Corp (RTX.N), is banking on the combination of improvements to help win orders, with the higher thrust an advantage for Airbus’ long-range narrow-body jet, the A321XLR. The XLR is expected to enter service in 2023.
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The 1% improvement is a slender increase, but airlines are eager for any savings at a time of stressed balance sheets and oil prices, which had been creeping up until the recent spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The first update of the GTF engine since …….