LYNN, Mass. - GE Aviation and Bristow Group Inc. signed a 10-year Maintenance Cost Per Hour (MCPH) service agreement covering Bristow's global fleet of CT7-8A turboshaft engines powering their Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. The contract encompasses Bristow’s current fleet of more than 50 S-92s and all future aircraft deliveries during the term of the contract.

The agreement continues the long-standing GE-Bristow relationship by combining several short-term MCPH contracts into a single, long-term agreement designed to provide Bristow economical and predictable engine maintenance costs.

In February, 2014, GE Aviation and Bristow Group signed the first engine service agreement for the CT7-2E1 turboshaft engine powering the new, twin-engine AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter. The agreement added Bristow's new AW189 helicopters to their global fleet of MCPH service agreement-maintained engines.

In October, 2014, Bristow Norway AS became the first helicopter operator utilizing GE Aviation’s CT7-8A engine to surpass 15,000 flight hours without a shop visit.

The 2,500-shaft-horsepower-class CT7-8A engine is the commercial leader in GE's successful T700/CT7 family of turboprop and turboshaft engines, powering 25 types of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft with more than 130 customers in more than 50 countries. Over 500 CT7-8As have been produced and are installed on more than 225 Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and have accumulated more than 1.4 million engine flight hours.

The 2,000-shaft-horsepower-class CT7-2E1 engine is the latest civil-certified addition to the CT7/T700 family of engines and includes a full authority digital electronic control (FADEC) system and state-of-the-art hot section materials for increased power, reliability and fuel savings. More than 30 GE CT7-2E1 engines have been produced for installation on the AW189 following U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) engine certifications in 2013.

Source: GE Aviation