EVENDALE, Ohio -- Air Seychelles has selected the GEnx engines to power its two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).
The airline has also agreed to a 10-year OnPointSM Solutions agreement to cover the maintenance and overhaul on the engines. The value of the GEnx service agreement is more than $25 million (USD).
"We selected the GEnx after a thorough analysis of potential engines to power the Boeing 787 Dreamliner," said Dr. Rajiv Bissessur, deputy chief executive of Air Seychelles Ltd. "The analysis was based on performance, reliability, economics, maintenance costs, guarantees and engine management solutions proposed by the engine manufacturers. Taking all those criteria into account, the GEnx engine came out as the best option for Air Seychelles Boeing 787 Dreamliners."
"We are delighted Air Seychelles has selected the GEnx engines for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft," said Roger Seager, vice president of sales for GE Aviation. "The airline has operated CF6 engines on its 767 fleet, and the selection of the GEnx engine re-affirms the carrier confidence in the quality of our products."
Air Seychelles is the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles. Created in 1978 as a domestic airline, Air Seychelles began international flights in 1983. During the past two decades, Air Seychelles has grown into a well-established international airline with one of the youngest fleet in the Indian Ocean, flying to seven destinations on three continents.
The GEnx is the best-selling engine for the Boeing 787. GEnx orders exceed 650 engines from 21 customers.
Based on the highly successful GE90 architecture, the GEnx engine will succeed GE's CF6 engine family, which is the most reliable and best-selling engine on wide-body aircraft. It provides significantly better specific fuel consumption and payload performance than GE's CF6 engines. Testing on the GEnx engine began this year, with engine certification scheduled for 2007.
The GEnx engine is the world's only jet engine with both a front fan case and fan blades made of composites, which provide for greater engine durability, weight reduction and lower operating costs. The fan blades will utilize GE90 composite technology that has performed extremely well, with no routine on-wing maintenance required and no in-service issues for more than a decade.
The GEnx is part of GE's "ecomagination" product portfolio--GE's commitment to develop new, cost-effective technologies that enhance customers' environmental and operating performance.
OnPoint Solutions are flexible, long-term commitments designed to meet customers' unique engine services needs. Backed by GE's world-class support, these solutions help lower our customers' cost-of-ownership and maximize the use of their assets. Available OnPoint services include overhaul, on wing support, new and used parts, component repair, technology upgrades, engine leasing and diagnostics.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. GE also is a world-leading provider of maintenance and support services for jet engines.