New Delhi, June 1 (IANS): Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended the deadline for low-cost airlines IndiGo and GoAir to replace faulty Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines on their Airbus 320neo aircraft.
The decision takes into cognisance the supply side constraints caused due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The two carriers now have time till August 31 to install the modified 'Low Pressure Turbine' (LPT) engines on their planes.
"Both (IndiGo and GoAir) taken together have about 60 engines that need to be replaced," a senior DGCA official said.
"Covid-19's impact and the resultant lockdowns has disturbed the replacement process. Keeping all this in view, we have extended the deadline by three months; upto 31st of August 2020."
According to the senior official, the regulator has further instructed the two airlines to only operate aircraft whose both engines have been modified.
The development assumes significance as 2019 was marked with several instances of in-flight engine shutdowns in A320neo aircraft fitted with P&W engines. However, these shutdowns were conducted through "commanded shutdowns".
It takes about 15-16 hours to replace an engine, depending upon availability of spares.