PW1900G GTF

Overview

The Pratt & Whitney PW1900G GTF (Geared Turbofan) is the exclusive engine for the Embraer E-Jet E2 family's larger variants — the E190-E2 and E195-E2. It is part of Pratt & Whitney's PurePower GTF family, which uses a reduction gearbox between the fan and the low-pressure turbine to allow each component to spin at its optimal speed. This geared architecture is the defining innovation of the PW1000G series and accounts for the family's substantial fuel efficiency advantage over prior-generation engines.

With a bypass ratio of 12:1 — among the highest of any current production narrowbody engine — the PW1900G moves a large volume of air at relatively low velocity, which is the thermodynamically optimal approach for the subsonic cruise speeds of modern commercial aviation. The result is a 16–25% reduction in fuel burn compared to the CF34 engines that power the original E-Jet family.

Technical Specifications

Variants

The PW1900G is part of the broader PurePower GTF product family:

• PW1919G: Baseline thrust rating producing approximately 90 kN for lower-weight E190-E2 configurations.
• PW1922G: Intermediate variant for E190-E2 at maximum takeoff weight.
• PW1930G: Higher-thrust variant producing up to 104.5 kN (23,500 lbf) for the E195-E2, which requires more thrust to carry its higher passenger load and greater maximum takeoff weight of 64.5 tonnes.

All PW1900G variants share a common architecture and are maintained to similar overhaul standards, simplifying fleet management for operators of both E190-E2 and E195-E2.

Aircraft Applications

The PW1900G is the sole engine option for the E-Jet E2 family's two larger members:

• Embraer E190-E2 — Entered service with Wideroe (Norway) in April 2018, making it the first E2 variant in commercial operation. The E190-E2 seats 96–114 passengers in single-class or dual-class configurations and targets thin routes where 737/A320 economics do not work. The PW1900G delivers a step-change in operating economics for regional jet operators.
• Embraer E195-E2 — The largest E-Jet E2, seating up to 146 passengers, entered service with Azul Brazilian Airlines in 2019. The E195-E2 is positioned to challenge A220-300 and A319neo on thin narrowbody routes. Its PW1900G installation requires the highest thrust rating in the family to move the heavier aircraft from hot-and-high airports.

Development History

Pratt & Whitney launched the PurePower GTF program in the mid-2000s after decades of geared turbofan research, including the Advanced Ducted Prop (ADP) technology demonstrator program of the 1990s. The gearbox at the heart of the design reduces low-pressure turbine speed relative to the fan by approximately 3:1, allowing the turbine to spin fast enough for aerodynamic efficiency while the large fan rotates slowly enough to avoid compressibility losses at its tips.

The PW1900G for the E2 program was developed in parallel with the PW1100G for the A320neo and PW1500G for the C Series (now A220). The engine completed its first ground test run in 2016 and received EASA and ANAC certification in 2018 ahead of the E190-E2 entry into service. While the PW1100G experienced significant teething problems related to gearbox durability and powder metal compressor discs in its early years, the PW1900G has accumulated a comparatively lower-profile service entry, benefiting from lessons learned across the GTF program.

The PW1900G represents the culmination of Pratt & Whitney's long relationship with Embraer, which dates to the CRJ competitor programs of the 1990s. The E2 program secured a sole-source position for Pratt & Whitney on the E190/E195 E2 family, giving it a strong platform in the growing regional-to-narrowbody transition market segment.