Editing Engine Alliance GP7000 (section)

==Design and development==
[[File:Airbus Lagardère - GP7200 engine MSN108 (1).JPG|thumb|Engine Alliance GP7000 turbofan awaiting installation on an [[Airbus A380]]]]
[[File:Air France Airbus A380-861 F-HPJA @ Paris CDG.jpg|thumb|GP7000 inspection]]

Originally intended to power [[Boeing Commercial Airplanes]]' cancelled [[Boeing 747#747-500X, -600X, and -700X|747-500X/-600X]], the engine has since been pushed for [[Airbus]]' [[Airbus A380|A380-800]] superjumbo. It is built around an 0.72 scale of the [[General Electric GE90|GE90]]-110B/115B core <ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ge90-115-paves-way-for-39gen-x39-sonic-cruiser-139714/
| title = GE90-115 paves way for 'GEN X' Sonic Cruiser development
| publisher = Flight Global
| date = 2001-12-04
| access-date = 2016-02-14
}}</ref> and contains a [[Pratt & Whitney]] fan and low-pressure system design.

The competing [[Rolls-Royce Trent 900]] was named as the lead engine for the then-named A3XX in 1996 and was initially selected by almost all A380 customers. However, the GE/PW engine increased its share of the A380 engine market to the point where, as of September 2007, it will power 47% of the super-jumbo fleet. This disparity in sales was resolved in a single transaction, with [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]]' order of 55 GP7000-powered A380-800s, comprising over one quarter of A380 sales (as of September 2007). Emirates has traditionally been a Rolls-Royce customer. A380 aircraft powered by the GP7000s will have A380-86X model numbers as 6 is the code for [[Engine Alliance]] engines. The engine powers an estimated 60% of Airbus A380 in service as reported in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Freed|first1=Jamie|title=FAA orders A380 engine inspections after Air France incident|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-air-france-canada-faa/faa-orders-a380-engine-inspections-after-air-france-incident-idUKKBN1CI0CI?il=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172624/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-air-france-canada-faa/faa-orders-a380-engine-inspections-after-air-france-incident-idUKKBN1CI0CI?il=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 13, 2017|access-date=13 October 2017|work=Reuters|date=13 Oct 2017}}</ref>

Ground testing of the engine began in April 2004 and was first flight tested as the number two engine on GE's 747 flying testbed over Victorville, CA in December 2004.<ref>{{cite press release| url = http://www.geaviation.com/press/gepw/gepw_20041207.html| title =  GP7200 Takes to the Skies in First Flight Test| publisher = GE Aviation| date = 7 December 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050422/http://www.geaviation.com/press/gepw/gepw_20041207.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 
The American [[Federal Aviation Administration]] certified the engine for commercial operation on January 4, 2006.<ref>{{cite press release
 |url=http://www.enginealliance.com/en/media/press_archive.aspx?view=press20060104
 |publisher=Engine Alliance 
 |title=GP7200 Achieves FAA Certification 
 |date=2006-01-04 
 |access-date=2012-06-24 
}}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
The engine was ground run for the first time on an A380 on August 14, 2006, in Toulouse.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-airbus-begins-engine-runs-on-engine-alliance-gp7200-powered-a380-in-toulouse-208485/
| title = Picture: Airbus begins engine runs on Engine Alliance GP7200-powered A380 in Toulouse
| publisher = Flight Global
| date = 2006-08-15
| access-date = 2012-06-24
}}</ref>
On August 25, 2006, the same aircraft, A380-861 test aircraft (MSN 009), made the first flight of an Engine Alliance powered A380. The flight began and ended at [[Toulouse]] and lasted about four hours. Tests were performed on the engines' flight envelope, cruise speed, and handling. A day earlier, the same aircraft performed [[rejected takeoff]] tests on the engines.

The [[Engine Alliance]] offered the GP7200 for the Airbus A380 passenger and freighter configurations. The GP7270 is rated at {{convert|74735|lbf|kN|abbr=on}} of thrust whilst the GP7277 is rated at {{convert|80290|lbf|kN|abbr=on}}. The engine is offered with two ratings appropriate for the various A380 configurations and take-off weights: GP7270 for the 560-tonne variant, and GP7277 for the 590 tonne A380-800 freighter (which was subsequently cancelled by Airbus).
In mid-2011 an upgrade was announced which will lead to a cut in weight for each engine by {{convert|23|kg|abbr=on}}. The new components come from [[Volvo Aero]].<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/06/22/358619/paris-engine-alliance-cuts-another-50-pounds-from-gp7200.html
| title = PARIS: Engine Alliance cuts another 50 pounds from GP7200
| author = John Croft
| publisher = Flight Global
| date = 2011-06-22
| access-date = 2012-06-24
}}</ref>

[[MTU Aero Engines]] is a major partner of the programme, with 22.5% share. The German company produces the high-pressure turbine, the low-pressure turbine and the turbine center frame. [[Safran]]  with 17.5% designs and produces the low-pressure compressor.<ref> [http://www.mtu.de/fileadmin/EN/7_News_Media/2_Media/Brochures/Engines/GP7000.pdf GP7000 turbofan engine] MTU Aero Engines {{webarchive|date=23 June 2017|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623192850/http://www.mtu.de/fileadmin/EN/7_News_Media/2_Media/Brochures/Engines/GP7000.pdf}}</ref> MDS Aero Support Corporation, a Canadian company, is working hand in hand with MTU to develop next-generation test beds.

MDS in joint cooperation is building the facility to test the next version of this engine in France.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afiklmem.com/AFIKLMEM/en/g_page_standard/MediaRelation/BlueLink_10_October2012/BlueLink_10_EngineTestBench.html|title = Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance}}</ref>