A new version of the T700 engine family-designated the T700-GE-701E-completed first flight on the U.S. Army's Sikorsky UH-60M upgrade Black Hawk helicopter on August 28.

In a test flight that lasted approximately 60 minutes, Sikorsky chief test pilots Mike Skaggs and Steve Silder maneuvered the aircraft through a variety of exercises including hover, forward flight, and a hover turn. The test flight was conducted at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach facility in Florida.

First flight follows an extensive engine Pre-Flight Readiness effort that included both engine and component testing to validate the design meets U.S. Army requirements. "We are very pleased with the performance of the engine's new control system," said John Martin, GE's T700-701E program manager. "This enhanced capability is essential to supporting not only the UH-60M, but future applications as well."

The -701E is the latest derivative of the T700 engine family that currently powers all H-60, AH-64, AH-1W/Z and UH-1Y helicopters, with approximately 13,000 engines delivered to date. Compared with the T700-701D, the -701E incorporates an on-engine-mounted full authority digital engine control (FADEC), and includes "fail-fixed" control design that retains fixed engine power in the event both channels of the control should fail. The -701E, integrated with the UH-60M upgrade's new fly-by-wire flight control system, provides more precise handling as well as reduced maintenance requirements.

"The fly-by-wire flight control is a nice complement to the FADEC system," said Scott Brady, T700 controls program leader for GE. "With fly-by-wire, the FADEC capabilities are truly highlighted and taken advantage of, with crew workloads reduced under normal and emergency flight conditions. This is really made evident when switching in and out of full fly-by-wire mode in the flight simulator."

The -701E was selected in 2005 to power the UH-60M upgrade Black Hawk aircraft. The initial contract includes engine development, aircraft integration activities, and flight-test engines and support. Limited production deliveries are scheduled to start in 2009. Approximately 900 UH-60M upgrade aircraft are planned.

GE's successful T700/CT7 family of turboprop and turboshaft engines currently powers 25 types of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in service with more than 130 customers in more than 50 countries. This engine family has accumulated over 50 million engine flight-hours of experience.