The newly established regional airline has entered into a long-term engine services agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) for the upkeep, repair, and overhaul of the PW127M engines, propelling its fleet of ATR 72-600 turboprop passenger aircraft. According to a press release, the airline aims to expand its fleet by the close of 2024 to enhance local accessibility to underprivileged cities within the nation.
The airline highlighted that Pratt & Whitney PW100-powered regional turboprop aircraft consume 25% to 40% less fuel and consequently emit an equivalent reduction in CO2 compared to jets of similar size operating typical regional routes spanning 350 miles or less. This explanation underscores the rationale behind the airline's selection of this engine.
"The agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada is a significant step in ensuring we can provide our customers with dependable regional air travel from our base at Goa’s Manohar International Airport”, said Manoj Chacko, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FLY91. “We are committed to reliable, sustainable, and scalable air transportation services to build India’s regional connectivity. We strongly believe that our ATR aircraft powered by P&WC’s PW127M engines will help us achieve just that”, he added.
“Availability is a key factor by which airlines are evaluated from a customer service perspective”, said Irene Makris, Vice President, Customer Service at Pratt & Whitney Canada. “The ability of a commercial aircraft to take off as scheduled often depends on the readiness and reliability of its engines. We have 40 years of experience in the maintenance of the PW100 engine family and we’re confident we can help FLY91 enjoy excellent dispatch reliability for its ATR 72-600 fleet and fully meet passenger expectations”.
Pratt & Whitney Canada is commemorating the 40th anniversary of the PW100 engine family, which propels 90% of the regional turboprop aircraft currently in operation within the 30- to 90-passenger range. The P&WC Customer Service network comprises 50 owned and designated facilities, with support from approximately 2,000 P&WC employees worldwide.
FLY91, a regional airline headquartered in Goa, is dedicated to enhancing air connectivity among tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India. The airline commenced operations over a week ago with its inaugural flight from Goa to Bengaluru. On its first day of service, FLY91 also inaugurated flights from Bengaluru to Sindhudurg. Presently, the airline has routes connecting Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Sindhudurg, with plans to expand its network to include Agatti, Jalgaon, and Pune in April. Currently, the airline operates flights between Goa and Bengaluru, as well as Bengaluru-Sindhudurg, on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Additionally, services between Goa and Hyderabad and Sindhudurg and Hyderabad are available twice a week.