US FAA proposes a new directive on PW engines powering A320neo/A321neo planes

NEW DELHI, US FAA : The American aviation regulator, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has proposed a new air worthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney (PW) 1100G family of turbofan engines that powers Airbus A320neo/A321neo aircraft after several instances of in-flight shutdown issues faced by operators of the aircraft during the past months.

The FAA, which is soliciting comments until mid-November, would require all operators of PW1100G family of turbofan engines to replace the main gearbox assembly and electronic engine control software, aviation news site FlightGlobal said quoting FAA documents.

This air worthiness directive 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, aviation news site FlightGlobal said.