INTERNATIONAL
Pratt & Whitney Opens OEM Facility in Brazil by Bill Lavender
Looking over the main venue of the 1800-square meter Pratt & Whitney do Brasil facility. On left are racks for engine storage. Note the overhead red-colored engine and components transfer system.
A 18 | agairupdate.com
Recently, the AgAir Update Brasil team visited the new Pratt & Whitney do Brasil facility in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. We were hosted by the company’s general manager, Renato Rafael, along with Human Resources Manager, Carlos Nascimento. Renato Rafael joined the Pratt & Whitney family three years ago after almost 15 years at Embraer working with startups and operations of Maintenance and Repair Operations (MRO). Renato has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Business Administration with 27 years of experience in aviation, mainly as head of MRO. Pratt & Whitney has made a substantial investment in Brazil to establish an Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) facility spending $24 million USDs to accomplish this feat. Pratt & Whitney’s Brazilian OEM has the ability to completely overhaul all models PT6A, PW200 and eventually PT6C engines. The PT6A engine is used in agricultural aircraft, as well as several models
of general aviation aircraft. The PT6C engine is typically used in medium-class helicopters with a shaft horsepower range of 1,600 to 2,000 SHP. The PW200 is a turboprop engine for light-twin helicopters with 500-700 SHP. An Open House for the new 1,800-square meter facility was held last December 10 with Pratt & Whitney Canada’s president, Maria Della Posta and other dignitaries attending. Included in the $24 million USD investment is a $4 million USD engine test cell built by CEL Aerospace Group. According to Aviation Week magazine, “CEL is a world leader in test equipment for aircraft engines; fixed and rotary wings, business and airline jets, as well as APUs (Auxiliary Power Units) for commercial and military applications. High technology engineering forms the heart of CEL with a focus on innovative design.” The turboprop engine test cell at Pratt & Whitney do Brasil is very sophisticated. Besides being operated at its location in Belo Horizonte, engineers at the Pratt & Whitney facility in ➤
