A380 flies for the first time with GP7000 engines

The Airbus A380 took off with GP7000 engines under its wings for the first time at the end of August. MTU is the third-largest partner in this engine program after General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, with a program share of 22.5 %. Besides supplying the engine’s lowpressure turbine and turbine center frame, MTU is also involved in the production of its high-pressure turbine. The low-pressure turbine is the first to be made using a new type of material developed by MTU: a cost-saving, lightweight, heat-resistant, single-crystal superalloy known as LEK94.

New high-pressure compressor made by MTU

Together with Pratt & Whitney, MTU is developing a new lightweight and highly efficient high-pressure compressor for use in engines intended to power medium-sized passenger airliners. It is to be built to the all-blisk design, which features integrally bladed rotor disks machined as a single unit.

MTU enters the U.S. military market

Halfway through the year, MTU broke through onto the U.S. military market, becoming directly involved in a program there for the first time. As a partner to General Electric on the F414 engine, the company is supplying the engine’s high-pressure compressor drum as well as two shroud bands for the high- and low-pressure turbines. MTU intends to expand its share in the program.

First PW6000 production engine handed over

In 2006, MTU handed over the first PW6000 production engine to its contractor, Pratt & Whitney. The engine will be used to power the small Airbus A318. MTU holds a share of roughly 33 % in the PW6000 program, supplying the engine’s low-pressure turbine and high-pressure compressor and taking charge of final assembly.

Major orders for maintenance services

Growth in the commercial MRO business in 2006 came mainly from MTU Maintenance Hannover and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg secured a number of major orders. American regional airline Air Wisconsin, for example, has decided to have the CF34 engines of its 70 regional jets maintained exclusively in Ludwigsfelde under a contract worth roughly €240 million. In the industrial gas turbine sector, MTU has won a maintenance contract from Norway worth around €42 million which includes work on stationary gas turbines installed on offshore oil rigs. This demonstrates that MTU is also successful in related business areas.