Air France chooses US aero-engine manufacturers for A380 aircraft

Airline Industry Information, June 4, 2001

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2001 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Air France has chosen a joint venture between US aero-engine manufacturers General Electric and Pratt & Whitney to provide engines for its Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft currently on order.

A spokesperson for the joint venture said that it would also be targeting other airlines that had ordered the new aircraft, including Fedex Corp, Qatar Airways, Emirates and ILFC according to Reuters. Air France's order, which is valued at around USD900m, includes the GP7200 engine for ten A380s as well as spare engines and options.

Airbus Industrie, the European aircraft manufacturer, has sold 62 A380s to eight customers so far, and Rolls-Royce Plc, a UK-based aero-engine maker, has already won engine contracts with Singapore Airlines, Qantas Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and ILFC, accounting for almost 50% of the potential market.

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