Press Releases

Pratt & Whitney PurePower(TM) PW1000G Engine Begins Flight Testing

Matthew Perra
Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines
Int'l Mobile: +1.860.595.6515
matthew.perra@pw.utc.com

Jennifer Whitlow
Pratt & Whitney
Int'l Mobile: +1.860.214.7502
jennifer.whitlow@pw.utc.com

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW – July 14, 2008 – Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1000G demonstrator engine successfully completed its first flight on July 11, launching a flight test program that will run through the end of 2008. The PurePower PW1000G engine – formerly referred to as the Geared Turbofan™ engine – flew for more than 30 minutes on Pratt & Whitney’s 747SP fly test bed at the company’s flight test facility in Plattsburg, N.Y. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).

“The PurePower PW1000G engine performed flawlessly and we are excited to build on the success of our ground testing as we begin the flight test phase of this demonstration program,” said Bob Saia, vice president, Next Generation Product Family, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. “As airlines face rising fuel prices and growing environmental pressures, they are watching the development of the PW1000G engine very carefully. The engine continues to meet or exceed all pre-test targets and we are excited to bring this value to our customers.”

The PurePower PW1000G engine flight test program will run in two phases. The first phase will run for approximately 40 hours on Pratt & Whitney’s 747SP flying test bed. This phase will focus on engine performance and nacelle system validation. After completing phase one, the engine will be shipped to Airbus in Toulouse, France, and installed on an Airbus-owned A340 flight test aircraft. Phase two, which is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter and include approximately 75 flight hours, will continue engine performance and operation testing while providing valuable installation and acoustics data.

The PurePower PW1000G demonstrator engine completed a 250-hour ground test program in May. The ground testing focused on engine performance, design validation and ground-level acoustic testing with a flight-capable nacelle system. The ground test program is in addition to thousands of hours of development testing accumulated on 16 technology rigs at Pratt & Whitney and partner facilities around the world.

In 2007, Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1000G engine was selected as the exclusive power for the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the proposed Bombardier CSeries. The Mitsubishi Regional Jet program announced its first customer on March 28, 2008, with an order from All Nippon Airways. The CSeries program is expected to launch later this year. Both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2013.

The PW1000G engine targets double-digit reductions in fuel burn, environmental emissions, engine noise and operating costs for the next generation of commercial aircraft. The PW1000G engine uses Geared Turbofan™ technology where a state-of-the-art gear system allows the engine’s fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The result is a step-change improvement in fuel efficiency and a slower fan speed for much lower noise. The PurePower PW1000G engine is an all new centerline engine that includes next generation technology in every major module.

Pratt & Whitney has over 16,000 aircraft engines installed with hundreds of airlines around the world. Additionally, Pratt & Whitney is a leading participant in two joint venture companies that manufacture commercial aircraft engines: International Aero Engines, which makes the V2500 for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, and the Engine Alliance, whose GP7200 engine is FAR 33 certified for the new Airbus A380.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries. This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning future business opportunities and other matters involving this engine that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include changes in the health of the global economy and the strength of end market demand in the aerospace industry; as well as company specific items including the ability to achieve cost reductions at planned levels; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies including this engine, and new products including the engine discussed in this press release; and delays and disruption in delivery of materials and services from suppliers. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties, see UTC's SEC filings as submitted from time to time, including but not limited to, the information included in UTC's 10-K and 10-Q Reports under the headings "Business," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors that May Affect Future Results," as well as the information included in UTC's Current Reports on Form 8-K.

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