GE
Honda Aero Engines has reached a major milestone with the delivery of the first
shipset of HF120 production engines to Honda Aircraft Company.
"The
delivery of these first set of engines is a significant milestone for the HF120
program and reinforces our continuous support for our customer." said
Terry Sharp, president of GE Honda Aero Engines, adding that "The HF120 is
now in full production at GE's Lynn facility. Significant planning activity is
underway to enable smooth transitioning to the Honda Aero facility in
Burlington, North Carolina, before year end."
According
to a company statement, with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA)
Part 33 certification of the GE Honda HF120 turbofan engine obtained on
December 13, 2013, the team is now focusing on obtaining European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) validation by the end of the year.
GE
Honda also announced that Honda Aero's Burlington, North Carolina site has been
chosen as the official Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility for the
HF120 engines.
"With
both production and MRO taking place at the same facility, GE Honda will have
the flexibility to better respond to customer demands." said Masahiko
Izumi, executive vice-president of GE Honda Aero Engines and president of Honda
Aero, Inc.
To
date, the HF120 has accumulated more than 15,000 cycles and close to 10,000
hours of testing.
Source: Honda