Story ID: 447
Pratt & Whitney Building APAC Presence
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Pratt & Whitney is commemorating 35 years in Asia Pacific and a 95-year history.
Word Count: 423
Pratt & Whitney, celebrating 35 years in  Asia-Pacific (APAC), has continued to build on its presence and services in the region as it has seen growth of nearly 25 percent over the past five years and expects as much in the next five years.

The company has built its presence in Singapore, beginning in the early 1980s with an MRO to the current full-scale operations, including a call center, parts distribution, and mobile repair team in addition to engineering, manufacturing, and customer training centers. These include operations and engine centers in Singapore, China, and New Zealand. More than 10,000 Pratt & Whitney engines power regional, general and business aviation, and rotary-wing aircraft operated by 1,200 customers in APAC. Singapore is a hub for its support for these fleets.

The support capabilities are particularly important for turboprop operators throughout the region, many of which do not have the in-house expertise for infrastructure for support, said Frédéric Lefebvre, v-p marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada. The centers provide teams to support that necessary expertise and help operators with training. Further, the call center is staffed with operators speaking a variety of languages, which is critical for the APAC region. “It's very important to make sure you're understood, especially when English is not your main language,” Lefebvre said.

Further, the company is adding to its portfolio of service offerings, such as flexible engine-leasing programs, to help assist operators with their full support. Diagnostics has become another key area for Pratt & Whitney’s services, he said, with operators of some 500 Dash 8 and ATR turboprops adopting its Full-flight data Acquisition, Storage and Transmission, or FAST, diagnostics service. That program has advanced over the years, enabling vasts amounts of data to be taken off the engine and sent to an operator in a logical way. The data is divided into areas of interest among an operator’s different teams.

FAST has been extended to other aircraft systems and, in a key advancement, propeller systems. Lefebvre said this is enabling operators to limit vibration, which preserves the longevity of parts and produces cost savings. Importantly, he added, it also keeps noise down.

As Pratt & Whitney celebrates its longevity in the region it is also commemorating a 95-year history. The company has embarked on a year-long Going Beyond campaign showcasing the products, services, and people that have been a part of the company over the past 95 years. These include highlighting families such as the PW4000, PT6, PW800, GTF, and F135.