25 Million flight hours with CF34 engines - GE Aviation congratulates SkyWest Airlines

The largest CF34 operator reaches new milestone with its high-performing, all-GE fleet and extends its GE Material Support Agreement SkyWest Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SkyWest, is the first operator of GE Aviation’s CF34 aircraft engine to reach 25 million engine flight hours.

SkyWest reached the 25 million flight-hour milestone on December 22. The first SkyWest CF34-3B engine entered service in 1994, installed on the Bombardier-manufactured CRJ200. Since then, SkyWest has grown to become the single largest operator of GE’s CF34 engines and the largest regional aviation operator worldwide. 

“We appreciate our longstanding partnership with GE Aviation,” said Chip Childs, President and CEO of SkyWest. “This historic milestone is a significant one, and we are confident that GE’s reliable CF34 engine family will serve us well for many years to come.”

The SkyWest fleet of all GE Aviation engines currently includes more than 1,200 CF34-3B, -8C and -8E engines.

“We are humbled by SkyWest’s trust and their reliance on CF34 power to connect travelers across North America to the world. For one operator alone to reach 25 million engine flight hours with GE Aviation engines signifies the importance of our high-performing products in their operations,” said Cristina Seda-Hoelle, general manager of GE Aviation Regional and Business Aviation Engines and Services. 

GE Aviation is also pleased to announce that SkyWest has extended a TrueChoice™ CF34-8 Material Support Agreement for 17 years to 2037. Under this TrueChoice agreement, SkyWest’s more than 700 CF34-8C and -8E engines will receive material upgrades for the high-pressure compressor, high pressure-turbine and combustor at an engine’s next scheduled overhaul visit. The hardware improvements further improve CF34-8 durability and time on wing by reducing unscheduled engine removals for maintenance. 

“As part of our two companies’ long-standing partnership, the extended Material Support Agreement affirms the value SkyWest Airlines places in the CF34 engine family, and we are proud to continue our partnership with SkyWest Airlines,” said Jason Tonich, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation Global Sales & Marketing.

In 1992, GE's CF34 engine family helped launch a new era in regional jet aviation, and it continues to set the standard for performance, durability and world-class reliability. More than 4,000 total CF34 engines are in service, and the engine family has accumulated more than 175 million engine flight hours on Bombardier, Embraer and COMAC aircraft. 

The engine program’s dispatch reliability rate of 99.96%, means CF34 has one delay or cancellation every 2,500 departures. 

All GE Aviation commercial jet products, including CF34 engines, can be optimized for improved fuel efficiency and can operate with approved Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).