Iranian engineers have produced replicas of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine blades, key components for McDonnell Douglas aircraft that, despite their age, still operate in the country. This development could help Iran, currently under international sanctions, keep its aging fleet in the air.
According to our partner outlet Aeroin, faced with increasing challenges in obtaining essential engine parts due to Western sanctions, Iran’s aviation sector has turned to domestic development and production. «Locally manufactured blades will reduce reliance on costly imports,» said Mani Rezvani, CEO of the Karaj Payam-based maintenance company MAPNA Aero. At least 28 aircraft are grounded due to the high cost of spare parts.
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According to their estimates, the local production of engine blades will cost $8,000. Imported parts come at nearly three times as much, at $22,000. Although these parts have not yet received approval from the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, MAPNA Aero expects this to be granted soon. If the roadmap is followed, the first aircraft equipped with these blades will start operating by the end of June this year. Additionally, Rezvani believes that mass production for other aircraft and the possibility of exportation to countries like Russia and Venezuela are on track.
The JT8D was first introduced in the Boeing 727-100 in February 1963. While still in use in military models, the last regular commercial operation of an aircraft with these engines in a major airline was in 2020, when Delta Air Lines retired its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-88. These engines were a commercial success, with over 14,000 units produced. In total, they have accumulated more than five hundred million flight hours.
