Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, today inaugurated its India customer training centre at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here.
This is the third training centre of the company after the US and China and will train Pratt & Whitney employees, aircraft engineers and technicians on current and new engine models, said Andrew Tanner, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Customer Service.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju was the chief guest on the occasion.
"Today, more than 300 aircraft in India are powered by Pratt & Whitney and IAE International Aero Engines. This number will increase rapidly as the new PurePower PW1000G family of engines enters service in India with IndiGo, GoAir and Air Costa," Tanner said.
The PurePower engine is also known as the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine.
The Customer Training Centre will provide key training for GTF engine and V2500 engine customers, beginning with a capacity of training the equivalent of 2,000 students attending a one-week class per year, with growth capability of up to 4,000 students per year.
Being built on the lines of Pratt & Whitney's world class East Hartford and Beijing training facilities, the centre here will satisfy training demand in a fast emerging market like India, said Palash Roy Chowdhury, country manager/managing director, India, Pratt & Whitney.
The company today also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Asia to expand undergraduate and graduate aviation and engineering degree opportunities in India.
This agreement will assist in developing aviation education and training, corporate scholarships and research opportunities between the two institutions, which will benefit the aviation workforce of India and other Asian countries, Graham Hunt, head of Embry-Riddle's Asia Campus said.
