Fuel Efficient Engine For The Slippery 787

The high-tech General Electric GEnx engine will be installed on a new fleet of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft for China Eastern Airlines. Based in Shanghai, China Eastern is planning to expand its routes internationally.

The new GE jet engine is the only one in the world with both a front fan case and fan blades made of composites. Based on the GE90 architecture, the new engine is significantly lighter, quieter, and has only half the fan blades of its predecessor. It also has significantly reduced NOx emissions and improved fuel economy. GE calls it a main product in its "ecomagination" portfolio.

Boeing expects the upcoming 787 to be more fuel efficient than earlier airliner designs, due to the extensive use of advanced composites. As such, it seems a good match for the eco-friendly engine.

In fact, the GEnx engine has been selected by the majority of 787 customers. Over 750 of the GEnx engines are on order by customers world-wide for the Boeing and other aircraft designs under development. The engine is expected to be fully certificated next year.

"We have selected the GEnx engine to power our Boeing 787 fleet based on a comprehensive evaluation of products and technologies," said Mr. Luo Cao Geng, President of China Eastern Airlines. "We are expecting a long and very close cooperation with GE in operating and maintaining our Boeing 787 fleet as one of the best fleets in the world."

Scott Donnelly, President and CEO of GE-Aviation said, "We are excited about China Eastern Airlines' selection of the GEnx engine. China Eastern Airlines and GE have a long-standing relationship, and this selection attests to the confidence the airline has in our products and services."

The entire engine order is expected to bring in approximately $370 million and the first of the Dreamliners will arrive in China by June of 2008.

FMI: www.chinaeastern.co.uk/dom.html, www.geae.com