Engine Alliance Introduces Innovative, Realistic Customer Training
SINGAPORE, Feb. 20 / -- SINGAPORE AIRSHOW -- The Engine Alliance (EA) has implemented an innovative customer training program in preparation for the GP7200-powered Airbus A380's entry into service with Emirates this summer. The company modified its existing customer training center, located in East Hartford, Conn., to incorporate the installation of a pylon which simulates all aircraft interfaces for the engine and nacelle.
"It's the best replica of an actual engine for training we have ever had," said Engine Alliance Product Support Director Ed Bendernagel. "The training experience for our GP7200 customers will be more realistic than ever. It will include training that before could only be done on an actual aircraft."
Training for Emirates employees began in January and the airline's response has been favorable and enthusiastic. Line and Base Maintenance, Engine Change, and Boroscope Inspection are just some of the training courses the EA has developed exclusively for its customers.
Emirates is scheduled to accept delivery of the first of its 58 GP7200- powered A380s in August. The jet's revenue entry into service is expected to follow in October.
The EA will begin training Air France associates later this year in preparation for that airline's first scheduled GP7200-powered A380 delivery in February 2009.
Customer training began less than a month after the GP7200-powered A380 received Federal Aviation Administration FAR 25 and European Aviation Safety Agency CS-25 type certificates in dual ceremonies in France and the U.S. in December. The certification followed 16 months of rigorous testing, with the GP7200 performing flawlessly.
"The GP7000 has met or bettered all of its technical metrics, including being 0.9% more fuel efficient than what we promised Airbus," said EA Vice President Jim Moravecek.
Moravecek is confident that the GP7200-powered A380 will have a smooth entry into service. "The development engine successfully completed the equivalent of eight or nine years of airline operation," he said, "giving us high confidence that the GP7200 will be highly reliable as it enters revenue service."
The GP7200 is derived from two successful wide-body engine programs, the GE90 and the PW4000. The engine benefits from the two programs' latest proven technologies and incorporates lessons learned from more than 18.8 million flight hours of safe operation on both engines. The GP7200 will ensure the A380 meets stringent Stage 4 noise regulations and London's QC2 departure noise rules. The engine's environmental emissions are well below current and anticipated regulations.
The GP7200 is manufactured at GE and Pratt & Whitney, with GE assembling the core in Durham, NC, and P&W manufacturing the fan module, low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine. Final engine assembly is conducted at P&W's Engine Center in Middletown, CT.
The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric (NYSE:GE) and Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
FCMN Contact: joanne.gagnon@pw.utc.com
Source: Pratt & Whitney
CONTACT: Matthew Perra, United Technologies Corp., Int'l Mobile:
+1-860-595-6515, email: matthew.perra@pw.utc.com; or Deb Case, General
Electric, U.S.: +1-513-243-0094, email: deborah.case@ge.com
Web site: http://www.pratt-whitney.com/
