SWISSAIR TO BUY PRATT AND WHITNEY ENGINES
Swissair <SWSZ.Z> said it will buy Pratt
and Whitney PW 4000 engines to power six newly-ordered
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 long haul jets due to enter service
from 1990.
    The engine is a newly developed one which will enter
operation in Summer 1987.
    Swissair announced on March 19 that it was placing a firm
order for six of the planes, with an option for another 12. It
said at the time that it was not sure whether to equip them
with General Electric, Rolls Royce or Pratt and Whitney
engines.
    Pratt and Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp
<UTX.N>.
    A Swissair spokesman declined to say how much the engine
order was worth. The total order, including six planes, engines
and parts, is worth 1.2 billion Swiss francs.
    If Swissair decides to exercise its option for the further
12 MD-11s these too would have Pratt and Whitney engines, the
spokesman said.
    He said the fact the airline's Boeing 747s, McDonnell
Douglas DC-9s and Airbuses all have Pratt and Whitney engines
played a major part in the decision.
 REUTER
