June 16, 2003 -- LE BOURGET - U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z "Cobra" helicopters, each powered by two T700-GE-401 engines, and UH-1Y "Huey" helicopters, each powered by two T700-401C engines, have performed beyond expectations during the first 1,000 hours of a flight-test program being conducted by Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, and The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).
"[Aircraft] Z-3 and Y-2 both exceeded 30 flight-hours for the month, while Z-1 and Y-1 exceeded 20 flight-hours," said Robin H. Locksley, the NAVAIR H-1 Upgrades Flight Test Team leader: "These availability rates are an excellent indicator of future performance, as the specification only calls for planned availability of 25 flight hours per month."
Development flight-testing is scheduled to continue through late 2004 at NAS-Patuxent River, Maryland, and operational evaluations will follow.
The Marine Corps plans to procure 100 UH-1Y aircraft upgraded from UH-1N aircraft and convert 180 AH-1W aircraft to AH-1Z aircraft, for which the cumulative engine value is estimated to be as much as $300 million.
The T700-GE-401 and T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines, rated in the 2,000-shaft-horsepower class, are significantly more powerful than the engines of other manufacture powering earlier models of the H-1 series helicopters. The T700-GE-401C that powers the UH-1Y is a newer, more capable version of the T700-GE-401, offering eight percent more power. The T700-GE-401C is under consideration to power the AH-1Z in addition to the UH-1Y.
The T700-GE-401 and T700-GE-401C engines, combined with a new four-blade main rotor system, significantly increase the AH-1Z and UH-1Y payload and range capabilities. Further, based on an overall 85 percent commonality between the UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft, the Marine Corps expects to save $3 billion in operating and support costs over the 30-year expected life of the aircraft.
The T700-GE-401/-401C turboshaft engines are members of the highly successful family of T700/CT7 engines. With an installed base exceeding 10,000 engines, and over 40 million flight- hours experience, the T700 has earned a reputation for combat ruggedness and reliability, most recently during the Iraqi Freedom campaign.
GE Aircraft Engines, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is the world's leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. GEAE also manufactures gas turbines, derived from its highly successful jet engine programs, for marine and industrial applications. In addition, GEAE provides comprehensive maintenance support, through its GE Engine Services operation, for GE and non-GE jet engines in service throughout the world. Visit GEAE online at http://www.geae.com.
Deb Case
GE Aviation
[email protected]
1-513-243-0094
1-859-380-8463