GE Aviation has selected its Strother, Kansas facility as the manufacturing base for its new Passport engine, which will power Bombardier’s in-development Global 7000 and 8000 ultra-long-range business jets.
The US company says it is investing $7 million in machinery at the 64-year-old site, which is currently a service centre for the CFM56, CF34, T700 and CT7 airliner and helicopter engines.
The funding will be used to support the engine assembly and create maintain, repair and overhaul (MRO) provision for the 16,500lb (73kN)-thrust powerplant.
“This investment will position Strother to play a pivotal role across the entire life cycle of the Passport engine,” says Tony Aiello, GE Aviation's vice-president and general manager, assembly, test and MRO Operations.
GE says it will install new equipment and train employees on the new engine assembly this year, and expects to roll the first completed Passport engine off the assembly line in 2016.
The Passport engine made its first flight late last year on GE’s 747-100 flying testbed, based in Victorville, California. As of 1 March, the programme had notched up 1,000h and 500 cycles.
Bombardier is counting on GE to certificate the Passport engine by the end of this year. It can then join a certification programme for the first 7,300nm (13,500km)-range Global 7000, which is scheduled to enter service in 2016.
The 7,900nm-range Global 8000 is earmarked for service entry the following year.
Source: Flight International
