EVENDALE, Ohio - Qantas Airways Limited received its first CF6-80E-powered Airbus A330-200 aircraft during a ceremony today in Toulouse, France.
The A330-200 aircraft are powered by GE's new CF6-80E engines and will enter revenue service in January 2003. Today's delivery is the first of 13 CF6-80E-powered A330 aircraft to be delivered to Qantas.
"This year marks fifteen years of CF6 operations at Qantas, and the introduction of the A330 and the CF6-80E engine is the start of a new era of Qantas aircraft operations," said Rick Stanley, general manager of GE's CF6 engine program. "The CF6 continues to be the engine of choice for the A330. Since 1999, the CF6-80E has doubled its orders share on the A330."
The CF6-80E engine incorporates the advanced R88DT boltless rim high-pressure turbine rotor proven on the high thrust models of the CF6-80C2, 3-D aerodynamic enhancements to the high-pressure compressor, and common build specifications. These combined improvements lower operating temperatures, increase exhaust gas temperature margin, and increase engine time on wing while retaining the engine's demonstrated stall-free reliability.
The A330-200 will enter service at Qantas initially at 120-minute twin-engine operations (ETOPS) rapidly transitioning to 180-minute ETOPS status. This extended rating reflects the demonstrated reliability of GE's CF6 engine family.
Over the past 30 years, the CF6 engine program has established an impressive operational record, including more than 6,000 CF6 engines in commercial service with over 233 million total flight hours. The CF6 engine is produced at GE's Durham, North Carolina, USA, and Snecma's Villaroche, France, production facilities.
Qantas, headquartered in New South Wales, Australia, currently operates 78 GE- and CFM-powered aircraft, including 24 powered by GE's CF6 engine.
GE Aircraft Engines, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is the world's leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft, including engines produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma of France and GE. GEAE also manufactures gas turbines, derived from its highly successful jet engine programs, for marine and industrial applications. 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. Visit GEAE online at: http://www.geae.com.