Thursday, October 1, 2015

A320neo engine has setback

An engine on one of the revamped Airbus A320neo jets was found to have suffered damage following flight trials in hot-weather conditions, a setback for the Pratt & Whitney-made turbine. The issue was found in one of the test aircraft's two engines, Airbus said Wednesday in an e-mailed statement that didn’t specify the source of the trouble. Deliveries of the single-aisle plane should still begin as scheduled later this year, Airbus said. The first A320neo, going to Qatar Airways, will be powered by PW1100G engines. A competing turbine is offered by CFM International, a joint venture of GE Aviation and Safran. (Source: Bloomberg, 09/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building A320 family jetliners in Mobile, Ala., and will eventually build neo variants.