TAM AE Named Authorized Service Center for GE's M601 and H80 Engines

May 4, 2011
TAM AE will offer line maintenance, removals and re-installations of engines and LRUs and engine spares for the M601 and H80 engine families.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – May 4, 2011 - TAM Aviação Executiva (TAM AE), a leading executive aviation company in the Brazilian sales and aircraft maintenance markets, has signed an agreement with GE Aviation to become an Authorized Service Center for GE’s M601 and H80 turboprop engines.

As part of the agreement, TAM AE will offer comprehensive line maintenance, removals and re-installations of engines and line-replaceable units (LRUs) and engine spares for the M601 and H80 engine families. GE Aviation will provide TAM AE with comprehensive material support and training.

“GE is excited to work with TAM AE, a leading Fixed Base Operator (FBO) network in Brazil known for its top level service and support,” said Paul Theofan, president and managing executive of GE Aviation's Business and General Aviation Turboprops. “The company’s values and the synergy created by the alignment between GE and TAM AE are a great foundation. As the H80 engine nears entry into service, we are looking forward to growing this partnership with TAM, and supporting the next generation of aircraft engines in one of the fastest growing markets globally.”

TAM Aviação Executiva is a premier FBO with five locations in Brazil and a primary maintenance facility located in Jundiai, SP. TAM AE provides service and support for business & general aviation aircraft that is unparalleled in the region. Recognized for world-class excellence, and as the largest Cessna Citation service center outside the U.S., TAM AE offers service and support for a multitude of aicraft ranging from propeller driven through jet propulsion. In addition to its primary maintenance facility in Jundiai, TAM AE has FBO locations in São Paulo (Congonhas Airport), Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte.

Complementing TAM AE support in the region, Premier Turbines was selected in 2009 as a Designated Repair Center in South and North America for GE's M601 and H80 turboprop engines. As a Designated Repair Center, Premier Turbines offers heavy repair services, full test capabilities, exchange engines and rentals, line replacement unit rotable pools and field service support to all existing and future M601 and H80 engines in the Americas region. Recently, Premier Turbines enhanced support capabilities, working with Air Turbine in Sorocaba, Brazil, to improve maintenance turn around time. GE Aviation provides the necessary OEM parts to meet Premier Turbines' needs.

GE Aviation's Business & General Aviation Turboprops has more than 1,600 M601 engines in service that have accumulated more than 17 million flight hours on 30 applications. The H80 engine continues flight testing on the Thrush 510G aircraft, is undergoing certification testing and will power business and general aviation, utility and agriculture aircraft. The H80 engine combines the elegant, robust design of the M601 engine with GE's 3-D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials to create a more powerful, fuel-efficient, durable engine compared with the M601 engine, with no recurrent fuel nozzle inspections and no hot section inspection. The H80 engine will also feature an extended service life of 3,600 flight-hours or 6,600 cycles between overhauls, significantly enhanced hot-day takeoff performance and high-altitude cruise speeds. The H80 will provide the option of a single- or dual-acting governor, allowing customers flexibility in propeller selection.

GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation