Fans of Progress and Profit

Founded in 2012 at the heart of the ancient Silk Road in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku and sustaining an annual cargo turnover in excess of 420,000 tons, Silk Way West Airlines is the largest cargo air-carrier in the Caspian Sea region.

The airline operates around 350 monthly flights to more than forty destinations across Europe, the CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States, a regional intergovernmental organization in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, and Western Asia), the Middle East, Central and Eastern Asia, and the Americas.

In April 2021, Silk Way West signed a strategic fleet expansion agreement with Boeing for five state-of-the-art 777 Freighters. In March 2022, the carrier acquired two additional Boeing 747-400F freighters. Finally, on 10 November 2022, the carrier finalized an order for two Boeing 777-8 Freighters with options for another two airplanes.

Flush with capable, modern aircraft, Silk Way West subsequently announced an order for a combined total of 16 GE9X and GE90 engines to power its fleet of 777 aircraft. The order comprises five GE9X and 11 GE90 engines.

Silk Way Group president  Mr. Zaur Akhundov states: “We are delighted to continue a successful, long-lasting cooperation with GE Aerospace. This agreement marks the strengthening of our relationship. This is a step forward to a more sustainable future. We believe that this partnership extension will help us to deliver our long-term strategy of sustainable growth and environmental commitments, allowing us to continuously improve the services provided to our valuable customers.”

The General Electric GE90 is a series of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines built by GE Aviation for Boeing’s 777 family of airliners. Entering service in 1995 and featuring thrust ratings ranging from 81,000 to 115,000 lbf, the GE90 reigned as the world’s largest jet engine until 2020, when it was surpassed by its successor, the 110,000 lbf GE9X—the fan diameter of which measures six-inches (15 cm) larger than that of its forebear. The GE90, however, retains the distinction of being the world’s most powerful jet engine.

Both the GE90 and GE9X architectures are compatible with approved sustainable aviation fuels.

GE Aerospace president of commercial programs Kathy MacKenzie remarks: “The GE9X engine offers a combination of power and fuel efficiency that is unmatched in its class. We are proud to continue building our relationship with Silk Way West as they continue to modernize their fleet for cargo operations.”

Worldwide, GE Aerospace and its joint ventures boast an installed base of more than 39,000 commercial and 26,000 military aircraft engines.

FMI: www.silkwaywest.com