Aircraft

A Boeing 737-300 of UK leisure carrier Jet2 has become the first aircraft to fly with Pratt & Whitney-supplied parts in one of its CFM56-3 engines.

According to P&W president David Hess, the engine is now in service with the Leeds-Bradford airport-based airline, marking a key milestone for the company's Global Material Services business.

The powerplant has been flying since the beginning of June and operates about 10 sectors each day.

It has been fitted with 10 of the 19 life-limited parts manufactured by P&W for the CFM56 following approval as a supplementary type certificate by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

The entry into service is particularly welcome for P&W after the US manufacturer saw the biggest of its three GMS launch customers - United Airlines - retire the fleet of 737 Classics that were due to be fitted with the parts.

At the Paris air show, Hess said that P&W would now be focusing on developing parts for the CFM56-5 and -7 engines, powering Airbus and current Boeing 737s respectively, rather than moving into any other engine family.

The company had previously indicated that it planned a decision on a second engine family this year.

"We are certainly moving ahead with GMS material on the CFM56-3," said Hess. "We had a little bit of a setback with United Airlines, which is retiring the 737, but a lot of interest from other airlines.

"Jet2 has an engine flying, and we are looking at the next phase of the programme now which would be similar parts for the -5 and -7," he said. "We are not looking at anything else right now."