Engine Alliance Announces GP7200 Engine Enhancements and Marks One Million Flight Hours

LONDON, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- FARNBOROUGH -- Today the Engine Alliance announced a series of performance and durability enhancements to the GP7200 engine applicable to new engine deliveries that will begin to enter service later this year.

"These improvements will give airlines even greater confidence that the GP7200 continues to be the best-performing engine for the A380," said Engine Alliance President Mary Ellen Jones.  "The GP7200 fleet recently surpassed one million flight hours.  We're very proud of this accomplishment and look forward to offering Engine Alliance customers these added advantages for millions more hours."

The refinements, to be released into production over the next 18 months, incorporate upgrades to engine clearances and sealing, introduce an improved turbine blade and offer a modest incremental weight reduction.  These performance enhancements are in addition to the recently announced demonstrated improvement in GP7200 fuel consumption published in Airbus' A380 performance handbook – the third positive adjustment since December 2007 – and to a series of weight reductions that put the engine well below production requirements.

"The Engine Alliance is focused on continuous improvement for our customers," said Jones.  "We're proud of our track record of reliable operation and our position as the most fuel-efficient engine for the A380.  These latest enhancements build on those advantages." 

A380 aircraft powered by GP7200 engines have flown more than one million flight hours, a milestone reached this month.  The GP7200 engine entered service in August 2008 and 34 GP7200-powered A380s are now in service with Emirates, Air France and Korean Air.  Other GP7200 customers include Air Austral, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.  To date, Engine Alliance GP7200 engines have been selected to power 56% of all A380s.

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).  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 35 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 and has the capability to produce more than 81,500 pounds (363 kN).  Its emissions are well below current and anticipated regulations.

GP7200 engine program participants include MTU Aero Engines, Snecma and Techspace Aero.  For more information about the Engine Alliance, visit www.enginealliance.com.

For further information, contact:
Deb Case, [email protected]
+1.513.243.0094 US

Katy Padgett, [email protected]
+1.860.324.6121 international
+1.860.565.3433 US

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney

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