Turkish Engine Center Announces $1 Billion of Maintenance Work

MRO ASIA.– The Turkish Engine Center, a Pratt & Whitney and Turkish Airlines Technic joint venture, will support an existing 10-year engine maintenance agreement between Turkish Airlines and Turkish Technic when it opens in mid-2009. The work is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion to the Turkish Engine Center and will extend through 2016. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, and Turkish Airlines Technic Inc. is a Turkish Airlines (ISE: THYAO) company.

The Turkish Engine Center is being built at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on the Anatolian peninsula and will meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard. The center will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the CFM56® engine family and V2500-A5 engine.

“Once fully operational, this center is expected to overhaul up to 200 engines annually,” said Turkish Engine Center General Manager Daniel Tennant. “Tapping into Turkish Technic’s labor force will help this engine center quickly become a high performing shop. We expect the great location, skilled workforce, advanced technology infrastructure and world-class facility to make this shop very appealing to other airlines in the region.”

The facility, which will be 25,000 square meters (269,000 sq. ft.), will be built with up to 20 percent recycled material and use renewable energy sources for a portion of its energy load. In addition, overall water use on the site is expected to be reduced by 40 percent compared with conventional facility designs.

Turkish Technic Inc. is the leading maintenance service organization in its region, providing MRO services for Boeing and Airbus airframe, engine, auxiliary power units, landing gear and components. Turkish Technic serves airlines in Europe, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States, with its maintenance base in Istanbul and highly qualified workforce of more than 3,000 personnel.

Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services is a total service provider for engines made by Pratt & Whitney, International Aero Engines, General Electric, Rolls-Royce and CFMI. In addition to engine overhaul and repair services, Pratt & Whitney provides customers with improved engine performance and increased asset value through a portfolio of services including line maintenance, engine monitoring and diagnostics, environmentally friendly on-wing water washes, leased engines, custom engine service programs, and new and repaired parts.