The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the ATR 72-600 aircraft for the use of new PW127N engines. Following in the PW127M’s flight path with over 10 million hours of operation, the PW127N provides a 4.5% power increase for Maximum Take-Off ratings (MTO), thus enhancing performance in hot and high operating conditions. The PW127N will be rolled out progressively to Avianca’s ATR fleet throughout 2014 and 2015. The first ATR 72-600 of Avianca equipped with the new PW127N engines will be delivered in the coming weeks, and will enable the airline to get better performance at take-off on airports in altitude like their hub in Bogota, Colombia. Field conversions from the PW127M to the PW127N will be feasible with minor hardware modifications. The new PW127N engines recently obtained a first certification from Transport Canada (TC), the Canadian Airworthiness Authority and now the EASA certification as well.

John Saabas, President of Pratt & Whitney Canada, declared: “We continue to enhance our PW127 family and we will introduce additional features in early 2016 that will enhance the performance of the PW127M and PW127N engines.” He added: “As we have done for decades, we continue to reduce fuel burn and increase the reliability of our engines. This in turn, enhances the competitiveness of the regional turboprop.”

Patrick de Castelbajac, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: “We are very satisfied with the good work which has been performed by the Pratt & Whitney, ATR and the Certification Authorities teams in order to develop an enhanced engine that will clearly further enhance the operational capabilities of the newest ATR 72-600s. Thanks to the PW127N engines, airlines operating in mountain environments will benefit from further improved performances, while keeping their operating and maintenance costs at very competitive levels”.