Engine Alliance signs GP7200 engines and associated fleet management agreement with Air Austral valued at USD240m

Airline Industry Information, June 18, 2009

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp (NYSE:UTX), announced on Wednesday that Air Austral has selected Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power its two Airbus A380 aircraft.

The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Pratt & Whitney.

In addition, Air Austral has also selected the Engine Alliance as its service provider to maintain, repair and overhaul the engines with a 10-year Fleet Management Agreement.

The deal is valued at a total of USD240m at list prices.

The GP7200 is manufactured at GE and Pratt & Whitney, with GE assembling the core in Durham, North Carolina, US, and Pratt &Whitney manufacturing the fan module, low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine.

Final engine assembly is conducted at Pratt & Whitney's Engine Center in Middletown, Connecticut, US.

GP7000 Engine Program participants include SNECMA (France), Techspace Aero (Belgium) and MTU Aero Engines (Germany).

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