The first Pratt & Whitney PW6000-powered Airbus A318 for launch customer LAN Airlines is undergoing testing.
The Chilean airline has 20 of the twinjets on order.
The PW6000-powered version was the first A318 variant to fly, in January 2002, but the programme suffered lengthy delays after a major redesign of the engine’s high-pressure compressor was required to address performance shortfalls. As a result, the rival CFM International CFM56-powered version became the lead variant, entering service with Frontier Airlines in mid-2003.
The A318 made its first flight with the revised PW6000 engine in December 2004.
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© French Frogs Aviation Pictures
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