Pratt engine snags: US issues new rules, India says already asked IndiGo, GoAir to comply

NEW DELHI: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued new directives for Pratt & Whitney (PW) engines powering the Airbus A320 Neos — a combination used in India by IndiGo and GoAir — following multiple instances of inflight shutdown of this snag-prone engine. The US regulator issued an airworthiness directive (AD) saying the same was “was prompted by multiple reports of in-flight engine shutdowns as the result of high-cycle fatigue causing fracture of certain parts of the main gearbox (MGB) assembly … issuing this AD to prevent failure of the MGB assembly. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in failure of one or more engines, loss of thrust control, and loss of the airplane.”
This AD is applicable to all airlines using A320 Neos globally powered by PW engines of serial numbers mentioned in the AD. Asked if India has also asked IndiGo and GoAir to adopt the same, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar said: “We have been a step ahead.