MIRABEL, Quebec, Feb. 20, 2013 /CNW/ - Bombardier Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney announced today that Pratt & Whitney has successfully achieved Transport Canada type certification of its first PurePower Geared Turbofan™ engine – the PW1500G engine that will power Bombardier's CSeries aircraft. Pratt & Whitney has conducted over 4,000 hours of rigorous engine testing since the initial engine began testing in September 2010. The PW1500G engine test program included 340 hours of flight testing on P&W's experimental 747 Flight Test airplane. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

"Certification of the PW1500G engine is a significant milestone and a critical step in supporting the progressive transfer of the first CSeries flight test vehicle to the flight test program," said Rob Dewar, vice president and general manager, CSeries, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "We are very pleased with the engine's performance and the overall, steady progress of the CSeries aircraft program. We have met a number of key milestones over the last few months, accepted the first pair of PW1500G propulsion systems and are in the process of completing final assembly of the first CSeries flight test aircraft."

"We have successfully demonstrated the durability and game-changing performance of our Geared Turbofan engine architecture," said Bob Saia, vice president, Next Generation Product Family, Pratt & Whitney. "To date we have conducted over 9,000 hours of testing on our Fan Drive Gear System, demonstrating the service readiness of our gearbox. We have also validated the improvement in fuel efficiency and noise reduction that we targeted in 2007, when we launched the PurePower PW1500G program."

The PW1500G engines were type certified through Transport Canada by Pratt & Whitney Canada and are assembled at Pratt & Whitney Canada's Mirabel Aerospace Centre in Mirabel, Quebec. UTC Aerospace Systems, formed after UTC's acquisition of Goodrich, provides the nacelle system.

Each CSeries aircraft is powered by two PurePower PW1500G series engines. The PurePower PW1500G engine uses an advanced gear system, allowing the engine's fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core deliver double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions and noise.

CSeries aircraft
Designed for the growing 100- to 149-seat market, the 100 per cent new CSeries aircraft family combines advanced materials, leading-edge technology and proven methods to meet commercial airline requirements in 2013 and beyond. Powered by Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1500G engines, the CSeries aircraft family will offer a 15* per cent cash operating cost advantage and a 20* per cent fuel burn advantage. The CSeries aircraft's clean-sheet design is ensuring that the aircraft will achieve greatly reduced noise and emissions, as well as superior operational flexibility, exceptional airfield performance and a range of 2,950 nm (5,463 km)*. The CSeries aircraft will be up to 12,000 lbs. (5,443 kg)* lighter than other aircraft in the same seat category and will provide passengers with a best-in-class, widebody cabin environment in a single-aisle aircraft.

About Pratt & Whitney
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.

About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.

Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3 billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

Notes to editors
Images of CSeries aircraft and PW1500G are posted with this press release at: www.bombardier.com.

For more information, visit: www.cseries.com, www.purepowerengines.com, www.facebook.com/purepowerengine and www.twitter.com/purepowerengine

Twitter: @Bombardier_Aero

* The CSeries aircraft are in the development phase. All data and specifications are estimates, subject to changes in family strategy, branding, capacity and performance during the development, manufacture and certification process. All performance references have been estimated based on a 500-nm North American operating environment and comparisons are to in-production aircraft.

Bombardier, CSeries and The Evolution of Mobility are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning UTC 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.

SOURCE: Pratt & Whitney