  We present a spectroscopic analysis of the pre-eruptive configuration of
active region NOAA 11429, prior to two very fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
on March 7, 2012 that are associated with this active region. We study the
thermal components and the dynamics associated with the ejected flux ropes.
Using differential emission measure (DEM) analysis of Hinode/EIS and SDO/AIA
observations, we identify the emission components of both the flux rope and the
host active region. We then follow the time evolution of the flux rope emission
components by using AIA observations. The plasma density and the Doppler and
non-thermal velocities associated with the flux ropes are also calculated from
the EIS data. The eastern and western parts of the active region, in which the
two different fast CMEs originated during two X-class flares, were studied
separately. In both regions we identified an emission component in the
temperature range of $\log T=6.8 - 7.1$ associated with the presence of flux
ropes. The time evolution of the eastern region showed an increase in the mean
DEM in this temperature range by an order of magnitude, 5 hours prior to the
first CME. This was associated with a gradual rise and heating of the flux rope
as manifested by blue-shifts and increased non-thermal velocities in
\ion{Ca}{XV}~200.97\AA, respectively. An overall upward motion of the flux
ropes was measured (relative blue-shifts of $\sim12$~\kms). The measured
electron density was found to be $4\times 10^9 - 2 \times10^{10}$ cm$^{-3}$
(using the ratio of \ion{Ca}{XV}~181.90\AA\ over \ion{Ca}{XV}~200.97\AA). We
compare our findings with other works on the same AR to provide a unified
picture of its evolution.
