WARSAW, Poland -- LOT Polish Airlines and GE celebrated the achievement of 500,000 flight hours by the airlines fleet of CF6-80C2-powered Boeing 767 aircraft.
In 1989, LOT became GE's first Eastern European customer when it took delivery of its first CF6-80C2-powered Boeing 767 extended range aircraft. Today, Poland's national carrier operates five aircraft, including two 767-200ERs and three 767-300ERs on routes to the U.S.
"We extend our warmest congratulations to everyone at LOT for achieving this milestone," said Muhammed Al-Lamadani, GE Aircraft Engines' vice president for sales for the Eastern Europe/Middle East & Central Asia. "Even though this airline has maintained one of the highest utilization rates of any CF6 operator, the engines have continued to perform extremely well in service. The maintenance team has done an exemplary job with this fleet."
In 1999, GE and LOT created a maintenance and repair joint venture, Central European Engine Services, located at Warsaw airport. The shop had initially serviced the airlines fleet of CFM56-3 engines produced by CFM International*. Today, it services the CFM56-3, as well as CF34-8, CF6-80C2, PW-124 and AE 3007 engines in its fleet.
Overall, GE's CF6-80C2 engine has accumulated more than 100 million flight hours since entering service in 1985. For more than 30 years, the GE CF6 engine family has been among the most reliable and best-selling commercial engine powering more than 10 models of wide-body aircraft and has flown more hours than any other high-bypass engine family.
GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE), part of GE Transportation of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft, including engines produced by CFM International*, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma Moteurs and GE. In addition, GEAE provides comprehensive maintenance support, through its GE Engine Services operation, for GE and non-GE jet engines in service throughout the world.