Air France-KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has signed terms with Pratt & Whitney to join the engine manufacturer’s aftermarket network for the PW1500G engine powering Airbus A220 aircraft.

The agreement, announced Tuesday (Nov. 8), will see the French-Dutch MRO offer maintenance services for the engine type, including full overhauls comprised of dismantling and assembly operations to repair and testing of certain parts.

AFI KLM E&M will begin receiving and working on PW1500G engines in the second quarter of 2023 at its facility in Paris.

Air France, one of the airline affiliates of AFI KLM E&M, has orders in place for 60 A220s as part of its fleet renewal strategy, with the option of adding 60 more. It currently has 13 of the A220-300 variant, which the airline has earmarked to replace its older A318 and A319 variants.

Marc Meredith, executive director of GTF engine aftermarket at Pratt & Whitney, cited the experience of the airline as an MRO provider and operator as “a strong asset in providing world-class maintenance services to the growing GTF fleet.”

Pratt & Whitney has been building up aftermarket support for the PW1500G engine over the past year. In January, U.S.-based Delta TechOps added test certification for the engine type.

“Adding the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine to our capabilities strengthens our positioning on the next generation of platforms, boosts our offering to customers and enhances the technical expertise of our maintenance teams,” says Anne Brachet, executive vice president of AFI KLM E&M.

Aviation Week’s Fleet & MRO Forecast projects MRO spending of $17.9 billion for the PW1500G from 2023-32. Engine maintenance is anticipated to account for 34% of overall MRO spending for the A220 program.

For the overall GTF engine family, AFI KLM E&M joins other European MROs in the aftermarket network including MTU Aero Engines and two Lufthansa Technik facilities in Germany; EME AERO in Poland; OGMA in Portugal; and SR Technics in Switzerland.