Engine failures in Pratt and Whitney-powered Airbus A320 Neos are within acceptable limits, the aviation safety regulator said on Wednesday. It said it would issue another directive for airlines within a week.
The statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) follows a review of Pratt and Whitney powered planes, with IndiGo and GoAir, conducted by it and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“It was noted that the in-flight shut-down (IFSD) on account of these Neo engines in India averaged 0.02 per 1,000 engine flight hours which is considerably lower than the stringent global benchmark of 0.05 IFSD rates per 1,000 engine flight hours,” it said in a press statement.
Past shutdowns
There have been 12 instances of in-flight shutdowns since the Neo (new engine option) engines entered into service in 2016, DGCA said.
The review meeting was called by the Ministry immediately after a mid-air engine failure of an IndiGo plane on January 3, when there was a loud bang, smoke and heavy vibrations inside the aircraft.
