Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
MCDONNELL Douglas (MDC) has not renewed its exclusivity agreement with BMW Rolls Royce, leaving the choice of power plant open for the yet-to-be launched MD-95 twinjet. The way is now open for the MTU/Pratt & Whitney Mid-Thrust Family Engine (MTFE).
An agreement between MDC and BMW R-R to launch the MD-95 fitted solely with the BR.715 turbofan engine expired on 1 July and has not been extended. The 100-seat aircraft is now being offered with the MTFE, in addition to the BR.715.
MDC has been pressing BMW R-R to reduce the cost of the BR.715 to help launch the MD-95. In March, MDC lost a big potential order from Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) and has since failed to find an alternative launch customer. SAS opted for the Boeing 737-600.
P&W is also trying to launch the MTFE and is understood to have undercut the BR.715 to get the engine on the MD-95. The move is likely to force BMW R-R to revise its pricing to compete with the MTFE.
The BR.715, however, is considerably ahead of the MTFE in development and will almost certainly be on the market first. BMW R-R also claims that, as a derivative of the BR.710, it will need fewer orders for its launch than the MTFE.
With the loss of the SAS order, MD-95 marketing efforts have now been turned towards Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Iberia and Avianca.
Source: Flight International
