Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan Engine to Power CSeries Aircraft for Lufthansa

Released on Sunday, July 13, 2008

FARNBOROUGH, England, July 13 -- FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW -- Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan engine will power Lufthansa's new Bombardier CSeries aircraft. Lufthansa has signed a Letter of Interest for up to 60 of the new mainline jet, including 30 firm and 30 optional aircraft. The announcement marks the launch of the CSeries program, which is exclusively powered by the next-generation Geared Turbofan engine. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

"The fuel efficiency and environmental performance of the Geared Turbofan engine are real differentiators for the CSeries and we are proud to be among the first airlines to fly this aircraft," said Nico Buchholz, Lufthansa senior vice president, Corporate Fleet. "After watching the development of the Geared Turbofan engine since the very early stages, we are confident that this next generation engine will deliver on its targets of double digit reductions in fuel burn, environmental emissions, engine noise and operating costs."

The announcement marks the second order for the Geared Turbofan engine, which also powers the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in 2013.

"Lufthansa is one of the world's leading airlines and we are delighted to deliver the environmental performance and economic value of the Geared Turbofan engine to support their fleet expansion," said Pratt & Whitney President Steve Finger. "The Geared Turbofan engine delivers the game-changing improvements in fuel burn, environment performance and operating costs that airlines are demanding. Market reaction has been extremely positive and we look forward to announcing additional orders later this year."

A full-scale Geared Turbofan demonstrator engine recently completed a 250-hour ground test program and is scheduled for flight testing this month. The Geared Turbofan engine uses a patented gear system to allow the engine's fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The result is a step-change improvement in fuel efficiency and a slower fan speed for much lower noise. The Geared Turbofan engine is an all new centerline engine that includes next generation technology in every major module.