The United States regulator FAA issued a draft inspection mandate for Pratt & Whitney PW1500 and PW1900 parts to address contamination risks from powder metal, focusing on high pressure compressor (HPC) 7th stage axial rotors on Airbus A220s and Embraer E-Jet E2s.
The mandate adds to existing requirements for other parts in the PW1000G family, with an inspection threshold of 10,000 cycles and a requirement for engines with 10,000 or more cycles to be inspected within 100 cycles.
Pratt & Whitney identified the issue earlier in 2024 and initiated inspections with special angled ultrasonic methods, resulting in unplanned shop visits, spare parts shortages, and extended turnaround times.
Despite increased MRO capacity and parts production, the AOG count peaked at over 600 in May, with most engines removed for inspections remaining out of service for around 300 days.
