Manufacturer looks to oust rival R-R at Asian carrier
Engine Alliance is looking to unseat incumbent Rolls-Royce for Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) potential next batch of Airbus A380s, following the airline’s recently issued request for proposals (RFP) for new large aircraft. Meanwhile the manufacturer is poised to complete certification tests of the ultra large airliner’s GP7200 powerplant.
Alliance president Bruce Hughes says that “proposals are due in August”, and adds the airline is asking for bids across the board from Airbus, Boeing, Engine Alliance, General Electric and R-R covering the A350, A380, 747 Advanced, 787, GP7200, GEnx and R-R Trent 900 and 1000.
SIA has already selected the Trent 900 to power the 10 A380s on order for delivery from late next year, and the R-R engine had also been expected to equip the airline’s 15 options. However, the large aircraft element of the RFP is understood to cover nine firm and six options, raising speculation that these 15 potential aircraft could replace the options.
The RFP also covers “up to 20” new long-range twins, representing a key opportunity for the engine makers to offer package deals covering the new-generation propulsion families.
Hughes says the GP7200 is on track for certification in October, having successfully completed two-thirds of its flight-test programme. As of 27 July, the engine on the GE-owned 747 flying testbed had accumulated 58h of flight time on 12 flights since the second phase of flight tests began from Mojave on 3 June. These numbers do not include an initial test phase in December 2004, which saw a non-production-standard engine accumulate 30h on eight flights, which were mainly aimed at collecting engine nacelle and related systems data for Airbus.
“We have around 14 more flights to do, and will fly until the middle of August,” says Hughes. A demonstration flight to senior A380 programme staff is scheduled at the end of the series.
Airbus is negotiating the possible use of the GE testbed for a third flight-test campaign focused on nacelle icing, which may help cut short the planned GP7200-powered A380 certification effort that is due to start by year-end. However, GE flight test operation project engineering manager Al Krejmas says the test schedule for the GEnx and CFM56 “tech insertion” engines, plus scheduled maintenance, may make this “difficult to fit in”.
GUY NORRIS/MOJAVE
Source: Flight International
