LYNN, Massachusetts - Flight testing of the NH90 aircraft powered by GE T700/T6E growth derivative turboshaft engines began on a highly successful note on March 13, with the engines performing flawlessly during the 55-minute first flight at Agusta's Cascina Costa plant in Italy.

The T700/T6E is being co-developed by FiatAvio, its subsidiary Alfa Romeo Avio, and GE Aircraft Engines, with Hamilton Standard providing the FADEC (full authority digital electronic control) system.

The NH90 is a multi-role, medium-lift helicopter being developed by NHIndustries, a consortium of Agusta of Italy, Eurocopter (France), Eurocopter Deutschland, and Fokker Aviation of the Netherlands.

The planned 150-hour flight test program follows more than 1,200 hours of successful factory testing over a wide range of conditions. During factory testing, the T700/T6E met all rating points with margin and demonstrated power in excess of 3,000 shaft horsepower, exceeding the NH90 emergency power requirements. The T700/T6E engine offers the NH90 the opportunity to fly at NH90 production power levels during the flight test program.

Louis Bevilacqua, general manager of GE's Turboshaft/Turboprop Project, said, "The successful first flight exceeded all expectations. Proven advanced technologies enable this growth engine to achieve significant performance gains while retaining the reliability and maintainability features of the industry's standard-setting T700/CT7 engine family."

Under the terms of a memorandum of understanding with GE Aircraft Engines, MTU Munchen, a subsidiary of Daimler-Benz Aerospace, is to co-produce T700/T6E engines for the NH90 program.

Current turboshaft and turboprop engines in the T700/CT7 family power 24 types of civil and military helicopters, regional airliners, military transports and multipurpose aircraft throughout the world. To date, 10,800 T700/CT7 engines have accumulated more than 27 million flight hours, often in extreme environments, while maintaining a reputation for outstanding reliability.