Joining a Journey: Pratt & Whitney India Engineering Center will help drive the future of commercial flight

When Pratt & Whitney's new India Engineering Center (IEC) began recruiting, a common theme emerged. The engineers and other professionals who signed on to work there saw a chance to join a journey. Specifically, the journey of a company that is expanding its presence in-country and taking on some of the hardest engineering challenges in aerospace.

"The new engineering center is a symbol of Pratt & Whitney's growth and expansion, but it also provides opportunities for employees to work on new and challenging projects," said Rajashree K Magdoom, senior manager, finance. "Being a part of Raytheon Technologies provides a platform for employees to explore opportunities and expand their professional horizons."

The state-of-the-art engineering center opened in January 2023 in Bengaluru. There are about 50 employees, and Pratt & Whitney plans to hire 450 more by 2027.

The engineering work will focus on aero, mechanical and control systems for Pratt & Whitney's broad portfolio of commercial engines, including the Geared Turbofan and PT6. The work will extend across the entire product lifecycle - from new product development to field support and sustainment.

If you aspire to develop some of the most complex engineering products in the world, the IEC is the place to be, according to Gupta Sakala, senior manager, Data Science, Analytics & Methods. "The IEC is building a great engineering team with diverse culture to develop innovative engineering solutions for our customers in aviation."

With a rapidly expanding economy and growing middle class, India is an important market for Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon Technologies. The country will need more than 2,300 new planes - a value of about $330 billion - over the next 20 years. Much of the work will take place in Bengaluru, a major hub of the country's aerospace sector.

"The talent pool in Bengaluru is a strong one, brought on by the legacy of aerospace companies and the ever-growing engineering ecosystem in the area. The IEC provides a different experience for new hires, they can help build this site from the ground up," said Rema Ravindran, the center's general manager.

For local engineers and professionals, joining the journey at the engineering center also means supporting cutting-edge technology that is poised to drive the future of commercial flight.

"There's a rapid expansion in the digital footprint of our product," said Paul Weedon, vice president of engineering for Pratt & Whitney Canada. "With a highly innovative and agile talent base, India is a great place for this important work."

The India Engineering Center will fully integrate with similar Pratt & Whitney centers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Poland. Using common tools and methods - including Agile and model based engineering - the network will advance world-class technology, such as the geared turbofan and other next-generation sustainable propulsion solutions.

"Since joining the company, I have met and interacted with colleagues at other engineering centers," said Arun Pai Kasturi, senior manager, Software Engineering. "I was truly impressed by their domain expertise and also by the inclusive culture. Their energy and enthusiasm to work with the talented workforce at IEC is truly encouraging."

"The IEC team and the Pratt & Whitney Canada organization are already collaborating and leveraging knowledge, based on over 200 million hours of operational experience, to help drive changes in our regional turboprop and small turbofans segments," said Weedon. "This is improving engine performance, extending time on wing, reducing operating cost, and decreasing fuel consumption."

The center's opening is the latest development in Pratt & Whitney's support of India's aviation growth. That support dates back to the 1960s, with the Pratt & Whitney JT3D engine powered Air India's first Boeing 707. Today, with more than 1,500 engines and auxiliary power units in service, Pratt & Whitney has a large presence in India.

Airline customers in India were one of the first adopters of the GTF engine, the only geared propulsion system in service today with industry-leading sustainability benefits, mature dispatch reliability and world-class operating costs. Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines power more than 180 A320neos and A321neos, and have delivered more than $1 billion in savings to Indian airlines since entry-into-service.

The significant investments that Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon Technologies are making in India - a state-of-the-art India Customer Training Center (CTC) in Hyderabad; a Research & Development Center at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru; and a world-class India Capability Center in Bengaluru - will support a stronger aerospace ecosystem in-country. "Beyond the $40M+ in financial investment in both the IEC and co-located India Capability Center we are collaborating with local universities and investing in emerging technology companies to further enhance India's homegrown capabilities," said Ashmita Sethi, Managing Director of UTCIPL.

These investments support the Indian government's vision of advancing aerospace and defense in India. Pratt & Whitney continues to build its presence in India through partnership and investments in innovation, research, supply chain and sustainment - working with leading Indian aerospace suppliers.

The center will also build on Pratt & Whitney's local community outreach, which includes the November 2022 opening of two STEM labs at Karnataka Public School (Krishnandanagar) and Government Model Primary School (Vrushabavathinagar). Those labs, created in partnership with United Way, have specialized learning aids, kits and curriculum to teach experiential science and mathematics.

IEC employees are becoming advocates for introducing science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) courses to students earlier in their education, specifically in parts of Indian society that historically have had less of an opportunity in the field.

Ultimately, the opening of the IEC reaffirms Pratt & Whitney's commitment to the region and commitment to conducting innovative work with the brightest minds Bengaluru has to offer.

"Pratt & Whitney has a rich heritage and is one of the best aerospace companies to work for," said Mahaveer Padmarajaiah, manager, EPLM Technical Publications - and the IEC's very first employee. "The IEC has a diverse workforce, very good culture and lots of opportunities to learn advanced technologies - the entire team is like one family, and you feel at home."

Note: The IEC is part of UTCIPL.