Pratt & Whitney Canada Celebrates Mirabel Aerospace Centre Grand Opening

MIRABEL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - May 6, 2011) -

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Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) today officially inaugurated the company's new Mirabel Aerospace Centre located at Montreal-Mirabel International Airport in Quebec, Canada. The grand opening marks the completion of Pratt & Whitney Canada's state-of-the-art assembly and test facility for the company's next generation of jet engines. Pratt & Whitney Canada is a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE:UTX).

"Pratt & Whitney Canada's Mirabel Aerospace Centre, and the game-changing engines that will be assembled here, demonstrate United Technologies' commitment to investing in advanced technology and next-generation manufacturing capability," said Louis Chênevert, Chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp., who attended the opening. "This facility has been made possible by company leadership and the Quebec and Canada governments who had the vision and courage to build a world-class aerospace centre here in Mirabel."

P&WC's Mirabel Aerospace Centre – an assembly and test facility featuring advanced manufacturing technologies – is now open and ready for production. At the facility, P&WC will assemble and test the PurePower^® PW1524G for the Bombardier CSeries aircraft and the advanced PurePower^® PW800 family of engines for the next generation of large business jets.

Pratt & Whitney Canada launched its global hub for flight test operations in the new world-class Mirabel Aerospace Centre in October 2010.

"Our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney Canada will help spur innovation and encourage long-term growth in Quebec, while creating jobs and bringing economic benefits to the province. Aerospace is a key contributor to Quebec's economy, with more than 40,000 people ensuring its success. Our position as a global aerospace leader lies in the success of companies like Pratt & Whitney Canada who continue to invest in the province," said Jean Charest, Premier of Quebec.

"Two and a half years ago, Pratt & Whitney Canada shared its vision for a unique aerospace centre featuring a revolutionary manufacturing facility and state-of-the art equipment to assemble and test engines on the ground and in the air," said John Saabas, P&WC President. "Today, thanks to the passion, resolve and hard work of the P&WC team, our partners and the Governments of Quebec and Canada, the vision is a reality."

A 300,000-square-foot facility, the Mirabel Aerospace Centre represents a $360-million investment. Approximately 300 people will be employed at the facility within 5 years.

Based in Longueuil, Quebec (Canada), Pratt & Whitney Canada is a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE:UTX). UTC is a diversified company providing high-technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

An Industry Benchmark for Advanced Manufacturing

The Pratt & Whitney Canada Mirabel Aerospace Centre was designed and built to achieve the highest standards of operations excellence and sustainability. Engines will be assembled according to the latest lean principles to ensure efficiency and flawless quality.

The centre incorporates an overhead and automated indexing flow assembly line allowing engines to be assembled horizontally and ergonomically – a first for aerospace engine manufacturers. The engines will be assembled in an optimized and lean process starting from the front and progressing towards the back with a specialized workforce trained to perform multiple tasks for maximum flexibility based on production needs. The manufacturing processes have been designed to maintain the highest standards of safety and ergonomics.

Pratt & Whitney's Global Flight Test Hub

P&WC's Mirabel Aerospace Centre is a global hub for engine flight testing and development supporting flight testing for the complete range of Pratt & Whitney Canada and Pratt & Whitney engines, including turboprops and turbofans up to 90,000 pounds of thrust. The centre houses two Boeing 747SP aircraft that have been transformed into flying test beds to simulate a complete range of flight conditions and record key engine data.

The first engine to be flight tested in Mirabel will be the PurePower PW1524G engine for the Bombardier CSeries aircraft. Flight testing is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2011.

Sustainable Operations for a New Generation of Green Engines

In line with P&WC's commitment to sustainable development and operations, the Mirabel Aerospace Centre was built to LEED silver certification standards. It features a passive solar wall, energy efficient lighting and optimized use of natural light. 97 per cent of waste was recycled during construction and P&WC made significant use of local and recycled materials during construction to minimize the environmental impact.

The engines built and tested at the Mirabel Aerospace Centre incorporate the most advanced environmental technologies. Both the PW1524G engine and the PW800 family will deliver double-digit improvements in fuel consumption, environmental emissions and engine noise.

About Pratt & Whitney Canada

Founded in 1928, and a global leader in aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada is shaping the future of business aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Every second, a Pratt & Whitney Canada-powered aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world. Pratt & Whitney Canada's engines, with more than 500 million hours in the air, are the industry benchmark for innovative design, dispatch reliability, operating economics and easy maintenance. Pratt & Whitney Canada is firmly committed to ensuring that its products are designed, produced and operated while minimizing environmental impacts throughout their life cycle.

There are currently more than 47,000 engines in service on over 27,000 aircraft operated by some 10,000 operators in 198 countries. The most extensive support network in the industry, which includes more than 30 company-owned and designated service facilities, supports this global fleet. P&WC has been taking front-line services to the next level ever since it launched its Customer First Centre (CFirst) in 2007. CFirst brings together a multidisciplinary and multilingual support team to resolve issues so that customers can return to service quickly. CFirst handles more than 100,000 contacts every year.

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