GE Honda Aero Engine's HF120 Turbofan Engine Receives FAA Certification
Burlington, MA – December 13, 2013 —The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Part 33 certification to GE Honda Aero Engine’s HF120 turbofan engine, certifying its airworthiness and setting the stage for the production of this all-new engine.
The HF120 engine’s airworthiness certification follows an extensive ground and flight test program that involved 13 engines. During its certification program, the HF120 engine accumulated more than 14,000 cycles and 9,000 hours of testing.
“Achieving U.S. FAA airworthiness certification for the HF120 engine is a perfect way to end the year for the GE Honda Aero Engine team,” said Terry Sharp, president of GE Honda Aero Engines. “And this is just the beginning for our team, which has worked tirelessly to demonstrate the technologies in our engine. We have been ramping up the supply chain and production processes to prepare for a successful entry into service.”
Assembly is currently under way at GE’s facility in Lynn, Mass., which is responsible for initial production. Production will transition to the Honda Aero Inc. facility in Burlington, N.C., next year.
GE Honda is establishing its customer service and support operation. The support model will consist of a network of GE Honda Authorized Service Providers, a 24/7 GE Honda Operations Center, dedicated Field Technical Managers (FTMs) and Customer Team Managers (CTMs), among other support operations. GE Honda will offer long-term engine service agreements with Enhanced and Comprehensive maintenance and support services that go above and beyond the basic engine warranty, with coverage of both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events.
Rated at 2,095 pounds of thrust, the HF120 engine is designed to set new standards of performance in fuel efficiency, durability, and low noise and emissions.
HF120 technologies include:
- A wide-chord, compound, swept front fan blisk, along with composite outlet guide vanes.
- A high-temperature titanium impeller in the compressor for maximum engine pressure ratio and stall-free performance.
- A compact reverse-flow configuration combustor and single-stage air-blast fuel nozzles.
- Advanced materials in the high-pressure (HP) turbine as well as a two-stage low-pressure (LP) turbine and a counter rotating HP and LP spool shaft system.
A key cost-of-ownership advantage of the HF120 will be the ability to operate at a best-in-class 5,000 hours between major overhauls. The advanced airfoil materials and coatings that GE and Honda have developed for the engine’s HP turbine enable this capability.
In 2004, GE and Honda formed a 50/50 joint venture, called GE Honda Aero Engines, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The joint company integrates the resources of GE Aviation and Honda Aero, Inc., a Honda subsidiary established to manage its aviation engine business. The GE Honda HF120 engine program was launched in 2006 and was selected to power Honda Aircraft Company’s advanced light jet, the HondaJet.
Honda (NYSE: HMC) is the world’s largest engine manufacturer, annually producing more than 25 million engines for a wide range of products, including motorcycles, ATVs, generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and Honda and Acura automobiles.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings.
For additional information, visit GE Honda Aero Engines: http://www.gehonda.com/
Honda website: http://www.honda.com and its media website: http://www.hondanews.com
GE website: http://www.ge.com, and its Aviation business: http://www.geaviation.com
