Farnborough, UK — The Engine Alliance has released a series of GP7200 engine enhancements. Largely focused on high pressure turbine (HPT) durability, the improvements will benefit all GP7200 operators, especially those who operate under tough environmental conditions.
“These changes will extend time on wing by up to 50% in hot and sandy environments,” said Dean Athans, President of the Engine Alliance, “and they will do so with no impact to fuel performance. These changes will further cement our lead as the most reliable and the most fuel efficient engine for the A380.”
The latest HPT design was frozen in October 2013, with successful introduction of new hardware to production on schedule in June 2014. The majority of the improvements are aimed at the HPT stage 2 nozzle module and can be installed at quick-turn repair lines or at normal shop visit.
Airlines operating GP7200 engines have enjoyed the merits of the quietest, most reliable and most fuel-efficient powerplant for the A380. The GP7200 engine has sustained an average of 99.9% departure reliability since entry into service. Additionally, customers have benefitted from a fuel savings advantage of up to $1 million per aircraft per year.
The EA-powered A380 entered service in August 2008. Currently 69 EA-powered A380s are in operation around the globe. The EA-powered A380 fleet is supported by the world’s largest network, with field service engineers available in more than 100 cities around the globe.
The Engine Alliance is a 50-50 joint venture of GE (NYSE:GE) and Pratt & Whitney (P&W), a division of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). Revenue-sharing partners include MTU Aero Engines of Germany, Snecma (SAFRAN) of France and Techspace Aero (SAFRAN) of Belgium.
The GP7200 engine draws from the success of the GE90 and PW4000 programs, which together total more than 62 million engine hours and more than 11 million engine cycles in service. With the ability to incorporate field experience and newly proven technologies from GE and P&W, the Engine Alliance is continuously investing in engine enhancements.