GE Aviation delivered its last CF6-80E1 production engine to China Airlines, bound to power the airline’s Airbus A330 fleet.
“China Airlines and GE Aviation have worked together for many years, and we are privileged to deliver the final CF6-80E1 engine to them,” CF6 General Manager at GE Aviation, Mike Kauffman, announced in a statement.
China Airlines have operated with CF6 engines for about 20 years, with the CF6-80C2 and CF6-80E1-engines powering the airline’s fleet.
But despite the end of production, the CF6-80E1 engine, which is the most powerful CF6 engine variant, is seeing a growing interest in the passenger to freighter conversion of Airbus A330s, according to GE Aviation.
“The CF6 engines power more than 65 percent of the all widebody freighters,” Kauffman said.“The CF6-80E1 engine provides freighter operators with thrust flexibility along with the better performance retention, lower fuel consumption, outstanding reliability, and longer time on wing than other A330 power plants.”