OGMA Adds Pratt GTF To Engine Capabilities

Alverca, Portugal-based OGMA will become a Pratt & Whitney-authorized maintenance center for the geared turbofan engine that powers the Airbus A320neo.

The agreement, signed on Nov. 12, adds a new-generation powerplant to OGMA’s capabilities and expands its service beyond Rolls-Royce engines. It currently maintains Rolls-Royce T56/501Ds, AE2100 series and AE3007 series engines.

OGMA will invest €74 million ($87.4 million) over the next four years to set up the capability, but the majority will be in the next two as it builds the test bench, acquires tooling and prepares its workforce, president and CEO of Embraer Services & Support Johann Bordais said. OGMA—65% of which is held by Embraer and 35% by the Portuguese government—projects the new service will create 300 direct jobs.

Bordais expects to induct the first PW1100G-JM engine by the end of 2022 or in early 2023. He could not disclose anticipated GTF work volumes for the facility.

Pratt & Whitney VP of commercial aftermarket Dave Emmerling said that “as the GTF fleet continues to grow, the network will be ready to support our expanding global customer base.” OGMA becomes the fifth engine center in Europe within the GTF MRO network, joining German facilities MTU Aero Engines Hannover, Lufthansa Technik Hamburg and Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey, and Poland’s EME AERO.

The GTF engine family also powers the Airbus A220 and Embraer E190-E2 and E195-E2, so it could be natural for OGMA to look at adding other GTF variants to its maintenance capabilities in the future, Bordais said.

Pratt & Whitney engines power several Embraer model aircraft, including the Super Tucano (PT6), Phenom 100 (PW617F) and Phenom 300 (PW535E).

OGMA is also a certified maintenance center for Embraer and Lockheed Martin.