EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IAE International Aero Engines AG reached a new production milestone when it shipped its 6,000th V2500 engine from the Pratt & Whitney Middletown Engine Center. The engine will be delivered to JetBlue Airways under the wing of an Airbus A321ceo aircraft in March.
"The V2500 fleet continues to grow with plans to produce approximately 500 engines in 2014," said Dave Brantner, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "Long-time customers such as JetBlue rely on the reliability and operational efficiency of the V2500 engine."
JetBlue started operations in February 2000 with a V2500-powered A320. They are the largest A320ceo operator powered exclusively by V2500 engines, with 171 V2500-powered aircraft in service or on order. JetBlue was also the first North American operator to order A320neo and A321neo aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1100G-JM engines.
"We selected V2500 engines with our first order in 1999 to power our A320 family," said Mark Powers, chief financial officer, JetBlue Airways. "IAE has a well-earned reputation for terrific quality in design, manufacturing and support. At JetBlue, we are careful in whom we call our business partners, and IAE has earned our highest respect. We are delighted to take delivery of the 6,000th V2500 engine, and we congratulate IAE International Aero Engines on this significant milestone."
JetBlue also received the 2,000th V2500 engine in 2002. In 2009, TAM received the 4,000th engine and SilkAir received the 5,000th engine in 2012. IAE's first V2500 engine delivery was to Cyprus Airways in 1989.
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 30 million customers a year to 82 cities in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America with an average of 800 daily flights.
IAE is a multinational aero engine consortium whose shareholders are comprised of Pratt & Whitney (NYSE: UTX), Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation and MTU Aero Engines. To date, 6,000 V2500® engines have been delivered to close to 200 customers around the world.
This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning anticipated business opportunities that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including with regard to the programs described in this release. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include the effect of economic conditions in the markets in which we operate, including financial market conditions, and fluctuation in interest rates, commodity prices and foreign currency exchange rates; levels of end market demand in the aerospace industry, including levels of demand for the new aircraft described in this release; levels of air travel; financial difficulties of commercial airlines; the financial condition of suppliers; and challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies and new products and services. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties, see UTC's 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed with the SEC.
IAE International Aero Engines AG: www.i-a-e.com
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Heather Waldron
860.709.1368
heather.waldron@pw.utc.com
SOURCE Pratt & Whitney