Airbus said its A380  had made its first flight powered by engines from Engine Alliance, a joint venture between General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. Airbus said the Engine Alliance-powered A380 took off from its Toulouse base in southwest France on Friday at 0800 GMT.  Since the A380 made its maiden flight last year, flight testing had been carried out using Rolls Royce engines.  The four-engine aircraft is available with a choice of either engine model.  Six customers of the A380 plane have chosen the Engine Alliance GP7200 engine for a total of 82 firm orders.

General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies, each hold a 50 percent stake in Engine Alliance.