It is not every day that a world leader digs an actual hole, but today, the Prime Minister of New Zealand and former CEO of Air New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, broke ground on a new engine overhaul facility in Christchurch. Air New Zealand and aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney are investing $150 million to expand their Christchurch Engine Centre to add maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities for the revolutionary GTF engine.
More than 75 years of engine MRO in NZ
Air New Zealand established the Christchurch Engine Centre in 1948, just eight years after commencing operations between Auckland and Sydney on a Short S30 flying boat. In 2001, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) partnered with Air New Zealand to focus on the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of JT8D and then V2500 engines.
Image: Christchurch Engine Centre
From humble beginnings, the Christchurch Engine Centre (CEC) now employs more than 400 highly skilled staff and has overhauled more than 1,500 IAE International Aero Engines AG V2500 powerplants. With the GTF (geared turbofan) engine powering Air New Zealand’s new-generation Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, the partners are now developing in-house MRO capabilities in New Zealand.
Image: Christchurch Engine Centre
Christopher Luxon joined Air New Zealand in 2011 and was appointed CEO in 2012. In June 2019, Luxon resigned from the airline and entered parliament in 2020, ascending to Prime Minister after a successful election campaign in 2023. After leading the airline for seven years, it must have been a satisfying visit to the CEC today to break ground for the expansion. He said:
Pratt & Whitney And Air New Zealand Invest $150 Million In GTF MRO
