OREANDA-NEWS. GE Honda Aero Engines (GHAE) announced that the turbofan engine production facility in Burlington, N.C., Honda Aero, Inc. (HAI), has been issued a PART 21 production certificate from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is a milestone that will provide a steady supply of the HF120 engine that will power HondaJet and other GHAE customers' aircraft.   

"This is a significant milestone that will enable GE Honda to continue to build momentum for the HF120 turbofan engine program" said GHAE President Steve Shaknaitis. "With our primary production site now fully certified; we can focus on maximizing our production capabilities to anticipate all customer demands."

Initial production of the HF120 engines took place at GE's Lynn facility in Massachusetts.  At the end of 2014, HAI started assembly of the HF120 under GHAE's TC with FAA oversight. With this program milestone, the HAI Burlington facility can now produce engines under the HAI Production Certificate.  In addition to engine assembly, the Burlington plant features a test cell, repair and overhaul functions and parts warehousing.

GHAE continues progress toward entry into service for its HF120 turbofan engine in 2015 on Honda Aircraft Company's HondaJet.  GHAE's Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility will also be located at HAI in Burlington, NC and the company has developed a strong network of Authorized Service Providers (ASPs) to prepare its support for customers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe.

GE Honda Aero Engines also offers long-term Engine Maintenance Care programs for the HF120 that extend beyond the basic engine warranty, with coverage of both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events. The two levels of service coverage offered under this program are EMC2, a hands-off solution for customers requiring comprehensive service, and EMCb, which is predominantly a parts-only program. Both programs are offered through the GE Honda ASP network.