Engine Alliance celebrates a ton up on A380 powerplant

Posted on 16 July 2010 in Air Transport

The Engine Alliance – the provider for engines for the Emirates fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft has completed its 100th GP7200 engine.

The 100^th engine is destined for an Air France airplane.

“We are so proud of this partnership,” said Engine Alliance President Mary Ellen Jones, speaking at a special ceremony at EA partner Pratt & Whitney’s assembly and test facility yesterday  “One hundred engines is a significant milestone, but it is only the beginning for an engine that has met or exceeded our customers’ expectations.”

Jones told the audience that in recognition of the GP7200’s demonstrated fuel performance on the A380, Airbus recently revised the performance handbook, or “Orange Book” to reflect a 0.5% Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) improvement for the GP7200-powered aircraft.  Prospective aircraft purchasers frequently use the Orange Book as a predictor of aircraft performance.  This improvement substantiates the GP7200’s total competitive fuel burn advantage of at least 1%.

“With the best fuel performance on the A380 and outstanding reliability, the GP7200 is providing significant value for our customers,” noted Jones.  Nearing two years in revenue service, GP7200 engine’s dispatch reliability rating is 99.9%.

There are 14 GP7200-powered A380s in service.  EA launch customer Emirates began operating the aircraft in August 2008 and received its eleventh A380 on July 2.   Emirates is Airbus’ largest A380 customer with orders for 90 of the super-jumbo aircraft.  Air France entered service with the GP7200-powered A380 in late 2009 and has three A380s in its fleet to date.  Other GP7200 customers include Etihad Airways.

The GP7200 is the result of innovations to the combined technologies of its member companies’ most successful wide body engines:  the GE90 and the PW4000.  The GP7200 utilizes the lessons learned from more than 25 million flight hours of successful operation with these legacy engines and incorporates new technology to produce the quietest, most fuel efficient engine for the A380.  The GP7200 is certified at 76,500 pounds (340 kN) of thrust, but has the capability to produce more than 81,500 pounds (363 kN).  Its emissions are well below current and anticipated regulations.

The GP7200 is manufactured at GE and Pratt & Whitney, with GE manufacturing the high pressure compressor, combustor and high pressure turbine.   Pratt & Whitney is responsible for the fan module, low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine. Final engine assembly is conducted at Pratt & Whitney's Engine Center in Middletown, Connecticut. GP7200 Engine Program participants include SNECMA (France), Techspace Aero (Belgium) and MTU Aero Engines (Germany).

The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

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