WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1000G engine team won the 2009 Aviation Week Laureate Award for outstanding achievement in Aeronautics and Propulsion. The annual awards, from Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine, recognize extraordinary achievements of individuals and teams in aerospace, aviation, and defense. Pratt & Whitney accepted the honor at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp.
"The entire Pratt & Whitney team is honored to accept this prestigious award and thank the editors of Aviation Week for this recognition," said Bob Saia, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Next Generation Product Family. "The PurePower PW1000G engine delivers breakthrough technology to power the next generation of commercial aircraft and we are excited to bring double-digit reductions in fuel burn, environmental emissions, and operating costs to our customers around the world."
The PurePower PW1000G engine uses an advanced gear system allowing the engine's fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. Allowing each major module of the engine to operate at is optimal efficiency brings significant improvements in fuel burn, environmental performance, and operating costs.
In February, Pratt & Whitney announced the successful completion of a 406-hour demonstrator engine testing program, which included 120 hours of flight testing. In December, the PurePower engine family was recognized with the 2008 Technology Breakthrough Award from the China Aviation Association and AVIC Science and Technology department.
Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1000G engine was selected as the exclusive power for the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the Bombardier CSeries. The Mitsubishi Regional Jet program announced its first customer in March 2008, with an order from All Nippon Airways. The CSeries was launched in July 2008 with a letter of interest for up to 60 aircraft from Lufthansa. Both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2013.
Pratt & Whitney has more than 16,000 aircraft engines installed with hundreds of airlines around the world. Pratt & Whitney is also a leading partner in two joint venture companies that manufacture commercial aircraft engines: International Aero Engines, which makes the V2500 for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, and the Engine Alliance, whose GP7200 engine is in service on the Airbus A380.
