AirTran Airways Signs Exclusive EcoPower(R) Engine Wash Agreement
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW -- JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., a designated service provider of Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners EcoPower(R) engine wash services, signed an exclusive agreement with AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings (NYSE: AAI). Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.
Under the agreement, AirTran will use EcoPower(R) engine wash services on its fleet of 143 aircraft, which consists of Boeing 737-700s and 717-200s. AirTran is a low-fare airline offering business class, new planes with XM Satellite Radio, assigned seats and one of the world's youngest all-Boeing fleets.
"With today's rising fuel costs, we see EcoPower(R) engine wash, and this agreement with JET Aircraft Maintenance, as a key step to improving our operating costs," said AirTran Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering Kirk Thornburg. "Over time, we expect this agreement to save AirTran about a million gallons of fuel annually, which leads right to savings at the bottom line."
In December, Pratt & Whitney established a five-year agreement with JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. of Miami, Fla. The agreement authorizes JET to be the exclusive provider of the patented EcoPower(R) on-wing jet engine wash service at five airports in South Florida, with a capacity to wash as many as 1,000 engines per year.
"Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower(R) engine wash service is the best in the industry," said Miguel A. Villacorta, president and CEO, JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. "As a leading line maintenance provider in the United States, we are pleased to offer this effective, environmentally friendly service to AirTran."
EcoPower(R) washes reduce engine fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminate three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel saved, and decrease exhaust gas temperature by as much as 15 degrees Celsius, improving performance and increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing.
The EcoPower(R) service uses a closed-loop system with pure, atomized water to wash aircraft engines, thus avoiding potential contaminant runoff. The system is more effective and much faster than traditional engine washing processes. Issued patents and applications cover various aspects of EcoPower(R) engine wash services in several countries relating to features such as water atomization, the closed-loop system, effluent collection process and purification techniques.
"We're pleased to have JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc., as one of our strategic maintenance partners," said Jim Keenan, senior vice president & general manager, Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners. "With key hubs in these popular South Florida markets, JET extends Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners' ability to reach domestic airlines and European and Latin/South American carriers with our industry leading engine wash service."
Through its franchise agreement, JET operates EcoPower(R) service centers at Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), Tampa International Airport (TPA), and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
JET Aircraft Maintenance, Inc. is a leading FAA and EASA certified repair station offering line maintenance support and services at 11 airports across the United States. With more than 600 PMA parts, JET offers flight deck crew seat repairs, overhauls, and class 3 expendables through its sister company JET Repair Center, Inc.
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., a Fortune 1000 company, ranked No. 1 in the 2008 Airline Quality Rating study. The airline offers more than 700 affordable, daily flights to 57 U.S. destinations, employs 8,900 friendly Crew Members. For more information and free online booking, visit www.airtran.com.Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners is a total service provider for engines made by Pratt & Whitney, International Aero Engines, General Electric, Rolls-Royce and CFMI. In addition to engine overhaul and repair services, GSP provides customers with improved engine performance and increased asset value through a portfolio of services including line maintenance, engine monitoring and diagnostics, environmentally friendly on-wing water washes, leased engines, custom engine service programs, and new and repaired parts.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.
SOURCE Pratt & Whitney
