PARIS, France - Flight Options Inc. has purchased 25 Fairchild Aerospace Envoy 7 business jets powered by GE CF34-8D3 growth turbofan engines in an engine deal valued at more than $100 million.

The CF34-8D3 is also the engine for the Fairchild Aerospace 728JET airliner on which the Envoy 7 is based.

The CF34-8D3 is a member of GE's new family of growth CF34 engines, which also includes the CF34-8C1, -8E, -10D and -10E. Rated in the 14,000 pound-thrust-class, the CF34-8D3 shares common turbomachinery and 87 percent parts commonality with the CF34-8C1, which is already in an advanced stage of development.

The CF34-8D3 is a more powerful derivative of GE's CF34-1/-3 series engines, which have compiled an exceptional 16-year performance and reliability record in corporate service, as well as a similar record in regional airline service since 1993.

"The Flight Options selection represents a significant expansion of the customer base for our CF34 growth engines. It's very gratifying to have our CF34-8D3 gain acceptance in the corporate jet market with one of the industry's fastest growing fractional aircraft ownership companies," said Frank Klaus, general manager of the Small Commercial Turbofan Operation of GE Aircraft Engines. "We've been a key supplier to the corporate jet market since the early 1960s and bring considerable experience in meeting operator needs for performance, lower operating costs and comprehensive service. We look forward to working closely with the Fairchild and Flight Options team in applying this experience to what we feel will be a very successful Envoy 7 program."

Certification of the CF34-8D3 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is targeted for September 2001, and first Envoy 7 deliveries are to begin in 2002.