LYNN, Massachusetts - In an engine buy with an estimated potential value exceeding $600 million, Lufthansa has ordered 60 Fairchild Aerospace 70-seat 728JET regional airliners and has taken options on 60 more, all powered by GE's CF34-8D turbofan engines.
The aircraft will enter the fleet of Lufthansa CityLine GmbH, a Lufthansa subsidiary that provides international and domestic scheduled and charter passenger service.
The CF34-8D was selected last year after an extensive evaluation to power Fairchild's new family of regional airliners, which also includes the 90-passenger 928JET and the 55-passenger 528JET.
"We are extremely pleased that we will power Lufthansa's expanding fleet of aircraft, and we are grateful to Lufthansa for their continued vote of confidence in GE performance and product value," said Frank Klaus, general manager of Small Commercial Engines for GE Aircraft Engines. "In 1992, Lufthansa was the launch customer for our CF34-3A1 engine in the 50-passenger regional airline market that has since enjoyed phenomenal growth, and we expect the CF34-8D to bring similar success and profitability to Lufthansa's 70-passenger 728JET service."
The CF34-8D is the newest in the CF34 family of engines that have consistently demonstrated exceptional dispatch and in-flight reliability while accumulating more than 3,000,000 flight hours in service with 18 airlines worldwide. Rated in the 14,000-pound-thrust class, the CF34-8D shares 100 percent common turbomachinery and 87 percent overall parts commonality with GE's new CF34-8C, which has performed exceedingly well in component, full-engine, and flight testing.
The first CF34-8D will go to test in June 2000, followed by first flight of the 728JET during the second quarter of 2001. Engine certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is targeted for September 2001, with 728JET entry into service with Lufthansa scheduled for May 2002.
While overall responsibility for the CF34-8D propulsion system, comprising the engine, nacelle, and exhaust nozzle, rests with GE, Hurel-Dubois of France and Aermacchi S.p.A. of Italy will provide the nacelle, thrust reverser and engine build-up (EBU) components.
The success of CF34 engine programs last year accounted for firm and option engine orders valued at more than $1.5 billion.