Spirit orders IAE-powered A319s

Florida-based Spirit Airlines has placed a firm order with EADS for 30 Airbus A319s, to be delivered between October 2009 through to mid-2013, bringing its total Airbus order to 44.

Each of the single-aisle aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines’ V2500 engines. Rolls-Royce is a senior shareholder in the International Aero Engines consortium (IAE) and will receive a $200m share of the order.

IAE’s other partners are US-based Pratt & Whitney, the Japanese Aero Engines Corporation and MTU Aero Engines of Germany.

With a range of thrust from 22,000lb to 33,000lb, the V2500-A5 can be fitted to a range of Airbus aircraft. More than 1,300 V2500-powered aircraft have been delivered to over 100 customers to date and there are more than 5,000 engines currently on order.