British Airways Receives First GE90-Powered Boeing 777

Seattle, Washington - The first Boeing 777 powered by GE90 engines was delivered today to launch customer British Airways during ceremonies at the Boeing Everett, Washington, manufacturing facility.

The GE90/Boeing 777 engine/aircraft combination was certified on November 9 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), paving the way for today's delivery ceremony to British Airways.

"British Airways flies its first 777 home today, knowing they have worked together with Boeing and GE to create a reliable, service-ready airplane," said Ron Woodard, president of Boeing Commercial Airplane Group.

In addition to British Airways, the GE90 has been ordered by China Southern, Continental, Saudia, Euralair, International Lease Finance Corporation, and Lauda Air, in total engine orders exceeding $2.5 billion.

FAA certification marks the conclusion of GE Aircraft Engine's (GEAE) most stringent development and testing program ever. During ground testing, GEAE and revenue-sharing participants Snecma of France, FiatAvio of Italy, and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) of Japan subjected 13 GE90 engines to conditions much more extreme than any anticipated during normal revenue service operation.

In addition, GEAE conducted comprehensive engine flight testing of the GE90, which involved 228 flight hours on GE's specially modified Boeing 747 flying testbed, prior to testing on the Boeing 777 itself.

Testing of the first GE90 growth engine, the GE90-92B, has begun at the GE Aircraft Engines outdoor test complex near Peebles, Ohio. Certification of the -92B engine is expected in May 1996. The baseline GE90-85 was certified at 84,700 pounds thrust in February of this year by the FAA.