FARNBOROUGH, England, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW -- Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has selected Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power its A380 order announced last month for an additional 32 Airbus A380 aircraft. The deal includes a Fleet Management Agreement for the maintenance, overhaul and repair of the engines. The total value of the agreement, including spare engines, is approximately $4.8 billion (USD) over the life of the contract.
"The performance of the GP7200 engines on our 11 in-service A380 aircraft has proven to be highly fuel efficient and extremely quiet which is much lauded by our passengers," said His Highness (H.H.) Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. "This made for a natural engine selection for our new order."
The first Engine Alliance GP7200 engines entered service with Emirates in August 2008. The flight was the first in-service A380 flight to the United States.
"We're very proud of the GP7200's performance in the Emirates fleet to date, and delighted to be part of Emirates' continued growth and success," said Engine Alliance President Mary Ellen Jones.
Since entering service in 2008, the GP7200-powered A380 has demonstrated excellent reliability and performance. In April 2010, Airbus revised the GP7200-powered A380 Performance Handbook (i.e., "Orange Book") to reflect a .5% Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) improvement.
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. GE manufactures the high pressure compressor, combustor and high pressure turbine and 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).
In addition to Emirates, the Engine Alliance GP7200 has been selected to power A380 aircraft for Air France, Etihad, Korean Airlines, Air Austral and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).
The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
For further information, contact: Deb Case, U.S.: 513.243.0094, email: [email protected] Katy Padgett, Int'l Mobile: 860-324-6121, email: [email protected]SOURCE Pratt & Whitney
