Engine Alliance is waiting for its joint venture partner GE to make a decision about supplying an engine for the Airbus A350 XWB before it moves forward in the next level of discussions with Airbus about the application of the GP7200 for the aircraft.
GE and Pratt & Whitney through their joint venture Engine Alliance offer the GP7200 on the A380 with Air France, Emirates, Korean Air and International Lease Finance Corporation as its customers.
Engine Alliance EVP Bruce Hughes tells ATI that the 70,000lb-81,000lb thrust range of the GP7200 is too low for the twin-engine A350 whose thrust requirement falls in the 83,000lb-90,000lb range.
Hughes notes the manufacturer would need to design and build a derivative engine for the A350.
Engine Alliance has given Airbus some study engines, says Hughes, “but there is nothing we can do at this time,” until GE finishes its discussions with Airbus.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Source: Flight International
