$1.7 billion engine order

announced yesterday that Indian low-cost start-up IndiGo has selected V2500 engines to power its fleet of 100 Airbus A320 aircraft.

This $1.7 billion order is the largest, single firm order IAE has ever received and it also confirms IndiGo as the launch customer for V2500Select, IAE’s combined program of engine upgrades and aftermarket support.

IndiGo President and CEO Bruce Ashby commented: “The inherent fuel burn advantages of the V2500 engine and the V2500Select program proved to be the key differentiators in this decision, especially in terms of the operating cost benefits to our operation.”

IAE President Mark King added: “This is a significant order for IAE, not just in terms of the numbers involved, but because V2500Select proved such a decisive factor in what was a very demanding competition. The program is fundamentally different to any aftermarket offering currently available in the single-aisle sector.”

The 22,000-33,000lb of thrust V2500-A5 is available in seven different thrust settings to power the Airbus A319, A320 and A321 family of aircraft as well as the A319 Corporate Jet. Engine upgrades are planned to be released to production in 2008 and will be retrofittable to the in-service fleet.