On the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2017, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced today it has signed a 20-year Fleet Management Program contract with Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) for 22 PT6C-67C engines that will power the airline’s fleet of Leonardo AW139 helicopters which primarily serve the offshore oil and gas industry in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and India.

The FMP will also include the installation of P&WC’s FAST Solution for advanced prognostics and engine health management. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

"When it comes to helicopter dispatch, time is paramount – especially given the extremely high number of offshore takeoffs and landings by our fleet," said Nadir Ahmed Al Hammadi, Chairman of ADA. "As the largest commercial helicopter operator in the Middle East, we have opted to invest in an FMP plan and the FAST advanced prognostics solution with P&WC to help optimize our maintenance environment and ensure our AW139 fleet remains mission-ready at all times to the highest safety standards."

He adds, "Abu Dhabi Aviation is fully committed to international safety and security standards, which became a challenge for countries. Abu Dhabi Aviation is well- positioned to meet the needs of local and international market."

"The combination of our tailored FMP plan and FAST technology is a powerful, preventive maintenance solution that will help ADA reduce costs while supporting greater availability through comprehensive engine and aircraft health management," said Tim Swail, Vice President, Customer Programs, P&WC.

"P&WC’s focus is on delivering long-term value and peace of mind to our customers through innovative and flexible solutions aligned closely with their individual needs and flying environments."

Tailored specifically to Abu Dhabi Aviation, the FMP plan will provide customized support to meet both their technical and commercial needs. P&WC’s FMP plan is a flexible, high-value engine management solution that helps lock in lower operating costs and simplifies fleet operations management. It also serves as a financial planning tool supporting efficient cash flow while allowing ADA to focus on its core business of offshore oil support.

ADA also provides passenger transportation services, search and rescue, crop spraying, aerial construction, seismic support, fire fighting in Europe and third-party maintenance support.

Along with fleet management, P&WC’s turnkey FAST solution will provide situational awareness about engine health, usage and trends by capturing, analyzing and sending full-flight data intelligence wirelessly minutes after the pilot shuts down the engines.

FAST technology goes beyond traditional prognostics to give customers a turnkey solution for a fully connected, data-driven engine for proactive and predictive engine health management. It also helps reduce pilot workload on the AW139 through automated power assurance checks. More than 1,200 FAST solutions have been delivered across numerous platforms, including 20 regional airlines.