EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The PurePower Geared Turbofan(TM) (GTF) engine for the Airbus A320neo family has successfully achieved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification. The PW1100G-JM engine is the latest PurePower GTF engine model to be certified. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

"We are proud to achieve FAA certification for the PW1100G-JM engine for the A320neo as planned. This milestone further validates our GTF technology's reliability and robustness," said Greg Gernhardt, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "In advance of this accomplishment, our engine has already completed more than 50 flights on the A320neo flight test aircraft and has performed extremely well. We look forward to continued success as we support Airbus in their aircraft certification efforts."

The GTF architecture allows room for growth as demonstrated by the additional 2 percent fuel burn enhancement which will further reinforce the A320neo's 20 percent fuel burn savings per seat by 2020. The PW1100G-JM engine's technology also makes it the most powerful engine on the A321neo. The A321neo is available with a 35K thrust rating at altitude that will give airlines the capability to fly routes of greater distance while carrying more passengers or payloads.

The PurePower GTF engine offers customers a dramatic reduction - up to 75 percent - in the noise footprint compared to today's aircraft. The environmentally friendly engine also reduces regulated emissions by up to 50 percent, and will reduce CO2 emissions at a level equivalent to planting almost 1 million trees or taking 3 million cars off the road - per aircraft per year.

UTC Aerospace Systems also a division of United Technologies Corp. provides the complete engine control package for the PW1100G-JM engine.

The PurePower engine family has completed more than 13,500 hours of testing, including 2,000 hours of flight testing and more than 26,500 cycles of testing. Pratt & Whitney now has two certified PurePower engine programs powering the next generation of aircraft. The PW1500G engine for the Bombardier CSeries aircraft achieved Transport Canada type certification in early 2013.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corps.' Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

For more information on the Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine, visit: www.purepowerengines.com.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/purepowerengine
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/purepowerengine
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/purepowerengine

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/faa-certifies-purepower-engine-for-a320neo-aircraft-300012688.html



    Sara Banda            Alice Straight

    Pratt & Whitney       Pratt & Whitney

    +1 860-565-4031       +1-860-565-2344

    Sara.Banda@pw.utc.com Alice.Straight@pw.utc.com

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney