Pratt & Whitney has announced that the GTF Advantage engine has achieved the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification for the Airbus A320neo family, making it the latest engine in the GTF family to be certified.
With first production engine deliveries expected later in 2025, the GTF Advantage will provide 4-8% more takeoff thrust, enabling higher payload and longer range, unlocking new destinations for airlines. It also offers better fuel efficiency with lower carbon emissions.
Rick Deurloo, president of commercial engines at Pratt & Whitney, said: “GTF engines already offer the lowest fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for single-aisle aircraft. The GTF Advantage engine extends that lead and enhances aircraft capability, providing more thrust and even more value to operators of A320neo family aircraft, especially on longer-range aircraft like the A321XLR, all with a more durable configuration.”
Pratt & Whitney says it is also working to ensure that the GTF Advantage will be compatible with future specifications for 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Fully intermixable and interchangeable with today’s GTF engine model, GTF Advantage will become the production standard.
The GTF Advantage includes fully redesigned life-limited parts and technology enhancements throughout the gas path. It is fundamentally more durable, with increased airflow in the core to lower operating temperatures and a state-of-the-art hot section to increase time on wing.
In the high-pressure turbine (HPT), the enhancements include an advanced airfoil design with improved coatings. The HPT and combustor also feature optimised cooling hole size, shape and location, with improved hole drilling techniques to reduce oxidation.
During extensive endurance testing, the GTF Advantage accomplished more than twice the amount of testing compared to the current GTF engine. It also benefits from over 100,000 hours of engine and rig testing across all GTF programmes, along with 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.
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