EU Clears Pratt’s New Jet Engine

Pratt & Whitney gained the European Aviation Safety Agency’s certification for its new GTF Advantage™ engines, clearing those power units for service on Airbus A320neo series aircraft. The engine developer has already started deliveries of the new engines to its customer.

"The GTF engine delivers the lowest fuel consumption for single-aisle aircraft," stated Pratt’s Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines. "The GTF Advantage engine extends that lead - offering up to double the time on wing and enhancing aircraft capability - providing even greater value to operators of A320neo family aircraft.”

The Federal Aviation Administration certified the GTF Advantage engine in February 2025. Other regulatory agencies typically follow the approvals issued by FAA and EASA, such as the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), and Transport Canada.

The GTF (geared turbofan) series was introduced by Pratt & Whitney as the PW1100G engine more than 20 years ago to improve fuel efficiency on narrow-body commercial aircraft. The design allows the engine fan and low-pressure turbine to operate at optimal speeds. Initial models were selected by Airbus, Bombardier (for its C-Series aircraft now produced by Airbus as the A220), Embraer, and Mitsubishi Aircraft as engine options for new twin-engine jets being introduced from 2010 onward.

Airbus also selected the CFM International LEAP-1A high-bypass turbofan engine for the A320neo it introduced starting in 2016, to improve fuel efficiency for its A320 series.

Pressed by Airbus to resolve certain durability issues with its GTF engines, in late 2021 Pratt & Whitney announced the new GTF Advantage engine, aiming to achieve 1.0% lower fuel burn and 4-8% higher thrust at takeoff. Full compatibility with sustainable aviation fuel was another target for the redesign, and Airbus also required a higher payload capability and greater range for A321XLR extended-range variant of the narrow-body jet.

But the relationship between Airbus and Pratt & Whitney remains strained over late engine deliveries. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury earlier this year indicated the supplier did not fulfill its delivery commitments in 2025 and is not expected to do so in 2026, causing Airbus to reduce its delivery forecast for this year. “We see shortages of engines from Pratt & Whitney not matching our needs nor our orders,” Faury said.

According to Pratt & Whitney, the GTF Advantage test program incorporated extensive endurance testing, “more than twice the amount of testing compared to the current GTF engine.” It conducted more than 100,000 hours of engine and rig testing across all GTF programs, and drew on an estimated 38 million flight hours of in-service operation.

“Certain elements of the GTF Advantage configuration can be incorporated into today's GTF engine to support increased time on wing,” according to Pratt & Whitney.

There are about 2,700 GTF engines of current models in service now, and airlines operating jets with those units may realize up to 90-95% of the GTF Advantage's durability benefits with the GTF Hot Section Plus (HS+) upgrade option, according to the developer. Records show Pratt & Whitney has roughly 13,000 orders for future GTF engine deliveries.

The GTF Advantage will become the production standard for the series by 2028, Pratt & Whitney stated.

To that end, Pratt & Whitney noted the ongoing investments to improve its manufacturing operations for the GTF and other engine series, including a $200-million expansion of isothermal forging capacity in Columbus, Ga., and a new, $650-million investment casting foundry in Asheville, N.C.