The Engine Alliance GP7200-powered Airbus A380 received type certifications from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today. The joint certification follows 16 months of flight testing and paves the way for entry into service with Emirates next year.

During the Airbus flight test program, the GP7200 engine achieved or exceeded all test objectives. The GP7200 is the most extensively tested engine designed specifically for large commercial aircraft, having accumulated 240 flights and 2,855 engine flight hours. In addition to flight testing, the GP7200 engine has amassed more than 5,250 hours and 17,770 cycles of endurance ground testing. Continued ground testing will ensure mature engine reliability from its first revenue flight.

"The GP7200-powered A380 has been performing extremely well throughout the development and certification program," said Mario Heinen, Airbus Executive Vice President. "The aircraft is consistently meeting and often exceeding its design targets."

"This certification is a major milestone for our engine and is a great achievement for our team," said Bruce Hughes, president of the Engine Alliance. 'The engine has proven itself to be a fantastic power plant for the A380, and we look forward to a successful entry into service with Emirates.'

The GP7200 had captured firm orders for 50% of all A380s on order including Emirates, which will be the world's largest fleet of A380s.

The GP7200 is derived from two successful wide-body engine programs, the GE90 and the PW4000. The engine benefits from the two programs' latest proven technologies and incorporates lessons learned from more than 18.8 million flight hours of safe operation on both engines. The GP7200 will ensure the A380 meets stringent Stage 4 noise regulations and London's QC2 departure noise rules. The engine's environmental emissions are well below current and anticipated regulations.

The GP7200 is manufactured at GE and Pratt & Whitney, with GE assembling the core in Durham, N.C., and P&W manufacturing the fan module, low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine. Final engine assembly is conducted at Pratt & Whitney's Engine Center in Middletown, Conn.

The Engine Alliance is a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric Aviation (NYSE:GE) and Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).