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Steady Progress of GE-P&W Engine Alliance GP7000 Family Continues

September 07, 1998

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW -- The Engine Alliance achieved a milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus Industrie designating Alliance GP7267 and GP7275 turbofan engines as powerplants for Airbus' proposed four-engine A3XX high-capacity aircraft.

Testing of a core rig is targeted to begin in October 1999, with the first complete engine to enter testing in June 2001. Plans call for certification of the engine at 75,000 pounds of thrust by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Joint Aviation Authorities of the European Economic Community.

At entry into service on the Airbus A3XX-100, the engine will be derated to 67,000 pounds (298 kN) of thrust and designated the GP7267. However, it will enter service on the A3XX-100R and A3XX-200 at 75,000 pounds (333 kN) thrust as the GP7275.

The GP7267 and GP7275 engine models are both characterized by a 110-inch-diameter fan that incorporates wide chord, hollow titanium blades. The bypass ratio of both models is 8 to 1, and the overall pressure ratio is 46 to 1.

A second configuration-the GP7167, designed for the Boeing Growth 747 aircraft -is a slightly shorter (169 vs. 179 inches) and lighter-weight (11,500 vs. 13,300 pounds) engine with a 99-inch-diameter fan.

Both engine configurations incorporate a common core consisting of a nine-stage high pressure compressor (HPC) that is a scaled derivative of the GE90 and E3 HPCs, a single annular combustor designed to limit emissions to 40 percent below the 1998 standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and a two-stage high pressure turbine (HPT). The low pressure compressor (LPC) of the GP7267/GP7275 comprises four stages while the GP7167 LPC comprises three stages. Similarly, the GP7267/GP7275 low pressure turbine (LPT) comprises five stages while the GP7167 LPT comprise four stages.

"We are extremely pleased with our progress to date," said Bruce Hughes, Alliance president. "We anticipate a strong market for this class of aircraft and the GP7000 family of engines will be well prepared to power them."

Under the terms of the Alliance agreement, Pratt & Whitney is responsible for the design and fabrication of the fan, LPC, LPT and gear train, and GE Aircraft Engines is responsible for the engine core (HPC, HPT and combustor).