Travel at risk: Wizz Air also affected by engine failure

A component used in the manufacture of a new generation Pratt & Whitney engine does not comply with the specifications. This means that 1,200 engines from the Airbus A320 family have to be taken out of service and inspected. The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air is also affected.

Problems with Pratt & Whitney engines, Wizz Air affected

According to Pratt & Whitney’s parent company RTX, microscopic contaminants have been found in the metal powder used in the turbine blades of the high-pressure stages of engines produced between 2015 and 2021, AIRportal.hu reports. This means that the affected units must be inspected before the required time.

The resources should be dismantled and returned to the manufacturer’s designated service centre for complete disassembly and inspection. If necessary, the component concerned will be replaced. The engines may then be reassembled and returned to the operator.

Not immediate safety concern

While the failure does not pose an immediate safety concern, AIRportal.hu adds, 200 engines are due for overhaul by mid-September and a further 1,000 over the next 9-12 months. This number represents around 40 percent of the PW1100G-JM engines in service.