ORLANDO, Fla. - October 29, 2012 - GE Honda Aero Engines announced today it will complete Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification testing on its HF120 engine by year end.
"It has been an eventful year for HF120 engine certification tests," said Terry Sharp, president of GE Honda Aero Engines. "GE Honda Aero Engines has submitted more than 93 percent of the certification documents to the FAA with more than 83 percent already approved. We anticipate finishing the remaining tests by late December with engine type certification from the FAA expected mid-2013."
A total of 13 HF120 engines have accumulated more than 5,500 hours and more than 7,000 cycles during development and certification testing at eight locations, including Evendale and Peebles, Ohio; Lynn, Massachusetts; Tokyo and Takasu, Japan; Burlington and Greensboro, North Carolina; and Valparaiso, Florida (Eglin Air Force Base). Among the tests successfully completed this year are low pressure shaft separation, initial maintenance interval, induction icing, emissions, fan blade out, water ingestion and over temperature testing. The three remaining tests for certification include medium bird, the 150-hour block endurance test and crosswind.
The supply chain is ramping up for HF120 engine production and components are arriving for the first production engine at GE's Lynn, Massachusetts, facility, where the initial production of the HF120 engine will occur. Soon after obtaining certification of the HF120, production will transition to Honda Aero Inc.'s engine production facility in Burlington, North Carolina.
GE Honda Aero Engines also is establishing its customer service and support program. The support model will consist of a network of GE Honda Aero authorized service providers, a 24/7 GE Honda Aero operations center, dedicated technical field representatives and account managers, among other support operations. GE Honda Aero Engines will offer long-term engine service agreements with Enhanced and Comprehensive maintenance and support services, that go above and beyond the basic engine warranty, with coverage of both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events.
In 2004, GE and Honda formed a 50/50 joint venture, called GE Honda Aero Engines, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The joint company integrates the resources of GE Aviation and Honda Aero, Inc., a Honda subsidiary established to manage its aviation engine business. The GE Honda HF120 engine program was launched in 2006 and was selected to power Honda Aircraft Company's advanced light jet, the HondaJet.
Rated at 2,095 pounds of thrust, the HF120 engine succeeds Honda's original HF118 prototype engine, which has accumulated more than 4,000 hours of testing on the ground and in-flight. GE and Honda redesigned the engine for higher thrust and new standards of performance in fuel efficiency, durability low noise and emissions.
HF120 technologies include:
* A wide chord, compound-swept front fan and two-stage booster along with composite outlet guide vanes.
* A high-temperature, titanium impeller in the compressor for maximum engine pressure ratio and stall-free performance.
* A compact reverse-flow configuration combustor and single-stage air-blast fuel nozzles.
* Advanced materials in the high-pressure turbine as well as a two-stage low-pressure (LP) turbine and a counter-rotating high-pressure and LP spool shaft system.
A key cost-of-ownership advantage of the HF120 will be the ability to operate at a best-in-class 5,000 hours between major overhauls. The advanced airfoil materials and coatings that GE and Honda are maturing for the engine's high-pressure turbine section enable this capability.
Honda (NYSE: HMC) is the world's largest engine manufacturer, annually producing more than 20 million engines for a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and Honda and Acura automobiles.
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 additional information, visit GE Honda Aero Engines at: http://www.gehonda.com/
