The 7E7 Engine Selection Committee, headed by ANA Senior Executive Vice-President, Mineo Yamamoto, was established on May 19 this year to evaluate two contending engines proposed by Boeing: General Electric’s GEnx and Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000.

The Trent 1000 was highly rated in terms of safety, reliability, and environmental considerations such as noise and emissions. It was praised also for its economics and fuel-efficient performance, and was deemed to have the edge in meeting ANA’s specific operating and network needs.

Mr Yamamoto said, “Both manufacturers came up with brilliant and innovative designs based on tried and trusted engine families that meet all the criteria of the 7E7 ideal in terms of economic and environmental performance. But in the end the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 best met ANA’s criteria”.

At list prices, the total value of the engine order is approximately US$1 billion.

Delivery of the 7E7 will commence in 2008, one year in advance of the planned expansion and internationalisation of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, ANA’s current domestic hub. The long-range 7E7-8 and short-range 7E7-3 derivatives will be used to replace ANA’s current fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft powered by GE engines as part of ANA’s fleet rationalisation strategy. ANA placed its order for 50 7E7 aircraft on April 26, valued at US$6 billion, and is the launch customer of the 7E7 programme.