First Boeing Next-Generation 737 with Goodrich DURACARB(R) Carbon Brakes Enters Service with Arrival of flydubai's Seventh Aircraft

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The first Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft equipped with Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) DURACARB® carbon brakes has been delivered to flydubai, Dubai's first low cost airline. This is the seventh Next-Generation 737 the airline has received in less than 10 months of commercial operations. Goodrich will supply wheels and carbon brake equipment for flydubai's entire fleet of more than 50 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft and will retrofit the airline's existing six aircraft.  

The wheels and carbon brakes will provide a weight savings of approximately 700 pounds (318 kg) per airplane compared to high capacity steel brakes, and 550 pounds (250 kg) compared to standard capacity steel brakes.  In addition to the fuel cost savings from the reduced weight, the Goodrich DURACARB® carbon brake also offers airlines significantly higher brake life compared to steel brakes.

Jim Wharton, vice president of sales and program management for Goodrich Aircraft Wheels and Brakes, said "Goodrich is now able to offer a carbon brake option for all models of the Boeing Next Generation 737 platform. Airlines have expressed great interest in our carbon brake option due to the lower weight and resulting fuel burn reduction. Our DURACARB® carbon material continues to demonstrate superior brake life performance on other in-service programs and we now look forward to providing the same benefit to new and existing 737 Next Generation operators."

Ghaith al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said, "We believe that we are setting a new standard by being the first airline using Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft to receive Goodrich's carbon brakes. The many advantages of using these brakes will enable us to keep our costs low and make savings which we can pass onto our customers. The on time delivery of this new aircraft also marks the arrival of flydubai's seventh Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 in a span of just 10 months since we started commercial flights.  It also ensures we can keep the expansion of the airline on track with the start of services to our 12th and 13th destinations, Muscat, Oman and Kuwait City, Kuwait."

Owned by the government of Dubai, flydubai is Dubai's first low cost airline and started commercial flights on June 1, 2009. The airline already operates six Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft on 11 routes, making it one of the fastest growing start-up airlines in the world. The airline's operational destinations are: Beirut-Lebanon, Amman-Jordan, Damascus and Aleppo-Syria, Alexandria-Egypt, Djibouti-Africa, Doha-Qatar, Khartoum-Sudan, Baku-Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Kathmandu-Nepal. flydubai recently announced Kuwait City and Muscat as its next double daily routes with flights to Muscat starting on Sunday, March 28th, and Kuwait on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities. For more information, visit http://www.goodrich.com.

Goodrich Corporation operates through its divisions and as a parent company for its subsidiaries, one or more of which may be referred to as "Goodrich Corporation" in this press release.

GR – Actuation and Landing Systems

SOURCE Goodrich Corporation; GR - Actuation and Landing Systems