Brazil’s GOL Orders up to 43 Boeing 737-800s

(Source: Boeing Co.; issued May 17, 2004)

SEATTLE and SAO PAULO, Brazil — Boeing and Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aereaes S.A., one of the world’s most profitable airlines, today announced the airline has ordered 43 737-800 passenger airplanes worth up to US $2.7 billion at list prices.

GOL begins receiving the 15 firm-ordered 737-800s between 2007 and 2009. GOL holds purchase rights for the remainder which can be exercised between 2005 and 2010. The agreement represents one of the region’s largest such transactions.

“Boeing’s willingness to work closely with us to meet all of our needs is an example of Boeing’s commitment to Brazil and Latin America,” said Constantino Oliveira, Jr. GOL’s President and CEO.

Despite financial losses by Brazil’s other major carriers, GOL has garnered international attention by consistently posting profits since beginning operations in 2001. Oliveira credits the success to technological innovations including a sophisticated computerized check-in procedure for its fleet of advanced Boeing Next-Generation 737s.

“It is especially gratifying to partner with GOL, whose outstanding Boeing 737 operation has generated consistent profitability even during the difficult economic times of the past few years,” said John Wojick, Boeing’s vice president of sales for the Caribbean and Latin America. “Boeing is proud of its contribution to GOL’s success and the Brazilian economy.”

Wojick said various types of aerodynamic modifications are being analyzed for the 737-800 which will be evaluated in wind tunnel testing later in the year.

The new 737-800s will join the 18 737-700s and four 737-800s GOL now operates, continuing GOL’s use of the highly successful single-type fleet model pioneered by U.S. low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines.

The Next-Generation 737 is the most popular single aisle airplane and the fastest selling airplane of all time. Boeing delivered the 1,500th Next-Generation 737 on May 14 in Seattle.

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CFM to Power GOL’s New 737s

(Source: Snecma; issued May 17, 2004)

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — In a news conference here today, Brazilian low-cost carrier Gol Transportes Aereos announced a firm order for CFM56-7 engines to power 15 new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, in addition to taking purchase options on 28 additional aircraft. The firm engine order, including spares, is valued at approximately $200 million at list price.

CFM56-7B engines are produced by CFM International (CFM), 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs of France and General Electric Company. CFM is the world’s leading supplier of commercial transport engines, with more than 14,250 engines delivered to date to 375 customers worldwide.

Gol began operations in January 2001 and is already one of the world’s most profitable low-cost carriers. The airline currently operates more than 150 flights daily on 29 domestic Brazilian routes. Its current fleet consists of 22 leased CFM56-7-powered 737-700/-800 aircraft; the new 737-800s will begin delivery in mid-2007.

“Gol has just done a phenomenal job in its first three years of operation,” said Doug Izarra, regional general manager for Latin America and the Caribbean for CFM. “It has been exciting for us to be a part of their growth and we are thrilled that this airline has selected us to be a part of its future for the long term.”

The CFM56-7 is ideally suited for low-cost operators such as Gol, providing low operating costs, high performance, high reliability, low noise and emissions and excellent operability. The 1,500th CFM56-7-powered Boeing 737 was delivered earlier this month. This fleet has accumulated more than 27 million flight hours and 14 million flight cycles while maintaining a 99.96 percent dispatch reliability rate, which translates to less than one departure per 2,000 flights being delayed 15 minutes or more or canceled for engine-related issues. The CFM56-7 also has one of the lowest in-flight shutdown rates in the industry: .002 per 1,000 hours. The rate is equivalent to one engine-caused in-flight shutdown every 500,000 flight hours.

The CFM56-7-powered Boeing 737 was the first single-aisle airplane in its class to be granted 180-minute Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS). ETOPS approval, which provides airlines greater route-scheduling flexibility such as long over-water flights, is based on engine/aircraft reliability.