EVENDALE, OHIO - Flight testing of the GE90-94B turbofan engine, mounted at the inboard position on the left wing of GE's Boeing 747 flying testbed, is successfully under way and proceeding on schedule, with completion targeted for the end of August. The flight test program, which comprises 15 to 17 flights and a total of 90 to 100 flight hours, is devoted to demonstrating the altitude operability and performance of the GE90-94B, which introduces 3D aero design features in the high-pressure compressor. The 3D aero design, which enables the engine to realize a fuel burn advantage of more than one percent and an increase of more than 15°C in exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin, is a key component of the Performance Improvement Program (PIP) that will be incorporated in the GE90-115B engine currently under development. The complete PIP package, including 3D aero design features, provides a 1.7 percent fuel burn advantage and 20°C increase in EGT margin. The GE90-115B, rated at 115,000 pounds of thrust, has been designated the sole powerplant for Boeing's new 777X twinjet. Plans call for the GE90-94B to be ready for FAR 33 certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by April 2000, followed in November 2000 by entry into service powering the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft of launch customer Air France.