Milestone Crossed with Leonardo-Bound, AW149/AW189 Helicopter Power Plant

GE hit a significant milestone with its  250th delivered CT7-2E1 engine after it shipped off a freshly manufactured piece to Leonardo in late September. 

The engine was delivered to the Italian manufacturer for use in their AW149 and AW189 helicopter programs, a solid match for its reliable, consistent output. The CT7 has been able to leverage some of the best tech from across the GE Aviation lineup, allowing them to offer a lighter engine, lower fuel consumption, and decreased maintenance requirements compared to competing engines in its power class. 

The -2E1 version of the long-running CT7 family is designed to ensure the aircraft meets requirements for long-range, high-speed, and Category A performance. The engine leverages more than 100 million flight hours of experience from the combined T700/CT7 engine family while incorporating modern FADEC capability and advanced materials throughout the turbine section. For forward-looking customers, the CT7’s recent approval for use with SAF-blended fuels is an additional bonus, allowing operators to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions. In 2021, GE released new CT7-2E1 engine control software incorporating Prognostic Diagnostic Based Monitoring (PDBM) and time-limited dispatch features - both changes that should result in better time-on-wing.

Elissa Lee, director of GE Aerospace’s commercial turboshaft engines, noted the CT7’s success upon delivery of number 250. “The production rate for the CT7-2E1 engine has been steadily increasing, and we anticipate the production line will continue for many more decades to support the AW149 and AW189 programs due to its outstanding reliability and performance.”

FMI: www.geaerospace.com