EAST HARTFORD, Conn., – Jan. 4, 2010 – The Engine Alliance GP7200 engine has achieved another milestone, reaching 100,000 revenue flight hours at the end of December.

Eight GP7200-powered A380s are in service.  Emirates began operating the aircraft August 1, 2008 and received its seventh A380 in late December.   Air France entered service with the GP7200-powered A380 on November 20.  Other GP7200 customers include Korean Air, Etihad Airways, Air Austral and International lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

The engines have not experienced a single in-flight shutdown since entering service. 

“We’re very pleased with the engine’s performance and reliability in service,” Engine Alliance President Mary Ellen Jones said.  “It’s the result of continuously testing these engines under extreme conditions to expose potential issues and resolve them before they can become problems.  It’s also a tremendous tribute to the success of this GE-Pratt & Whitney partnership.”

“We’re delighted to be one of the main GP7200 operators,” Emirates Executive Vice President of Engineering & Operations Adel Al Redha said. “The in-service experience of the engine has proven to be meeting the performance and reliability expectations set by the manufacturers.”

The GP7200 is derived from two successful wide body engine programs, the GE90 and the PW4000. It benefits from the two programs’ latest, proven technologies and the lessons learned from more than 25 million flight hours of successful operation. Certified at 76,500 pounds (340 kN) of thrust, the engine has the capability to produce more than 81,500 pounds (363 kN) of thrust. In addition to being the quietest, most fuel efficient engine for the A380, the GP7200 engine has emissions that 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, and Pratt & Whitney manufacturing the fan module, low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine. Final engine assembly is conducted at Pratt & Whitney’s Engine Center in Middletown, Conn. GP7000 Engine Program participants include SNECMA (France), Techspace Aero (Belgium) and MTU Aero Engines (Germany).

Source: Pratt & Whitney