The first Boeing 787 with GE engines completes first flight
GE developed America’s first turbojet engine and continues to develop advanced engine technologies with the GEnx (or next-generation turbofan) aircraft engines. The GEnx engines are expected to be the main workhorses in the 21st century for medium capacity, long-range aircraft. The first flight test with one of these engines took place on 22 February 2007, using GE’s Boeing 747 – 100 flying testbed.
Now, after five years of testing, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner recently completed its first flight with GEnx engines in Washington State in the United States. The GEnx-1B is one of two engine types offered to Boeing’s 787 customers.The engine market for the 787 is estimated at US$40 billion over the next 25 years.
The GEnx engine will deliver enormous gains in fuel efficiency and performance with significantly lower emissions than other current engines in its class. The engine will produce less smog-causing emissions — 94 percent fewer hydrocarbon emissions and 57 percent nitrogen emissions, to be precise — while consuming at least 15 percent less fuel than the standard engines — which means 15 percent less NOx emissions. Because of the composite fan case and blade designs, the engine is about 400 lbs lighter than engines using traditional metals. Also, the fan blades rotate at a slower speed which allows aircraft with GEnx engines to be 30 percent quieter than today’s GE-powered aircraft.
The GEnx aircraft engines projected to be sold in the next 20 years will emit an estimated 77 million fewer tons of greenhouse gases than would have been produced by older comparable engines. And by using GEnx engines, that same fleet could save nearly 500 million gallons of jet fuel each year – enough to fly more than 12 million people from New York City to London on Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets. If an airline were to replace 20 of its older 200- to 300-passenger aircraft with next-generation jets powered by GEnx engines, it would save nearly $5 million in fuel costs annually.
Built for the next generation of commercial aviation, GEnx engines will help power our business for years to come with more than 1,300 engines sold to date. In the Middle East, 208 GEnx engines have been sold to date.
Delivery of the first Boeing 787 with GEnx engines is planned for the fourth quarter of 2010.