EVENDALE, OH - Ten years ago today, the world's most powerful jet engine-the GE90-entered service on a new Boeing 777. Since then, the GE90 engine family has amassed an outstanding reliability record while supporting the worldwide success of Boeing's twin-engine, long-range 777 aircraft family. 

Throughout the last decade, GE has continued to invest in the GE90 engine family, which has grown from its initial certification at 76,400 pounds of thrust to an unprecedented 115,000 pounds of thrust today. To date, more than 350 GE90 engines are in service. 

GE introduced the first major derivative growth engine, the GE90-94B, in 2000. The baseline GE90-76B through the GE90-94B engines have logged more than 6.4 million flight hours. The GE90-94B engine, in particular, has an outstanding in-flight shutdown rate of 0.003 per 1000 engine flight-hours, well below the current 180-minute ETOPS requirement of 0.020 per 1000 engine flight-hours. With this level of performance, the GE90-94B engine has set a high standard of performance for high-thrust engines. 

In 2004, the GE90-115B entered service, powering the 777-300ER. To date, the GE90-115B engine has completed more than 160,000 hours and 22,000 cycles with no engine removals and no in-flight shutdowns--a remarkable achievement for an entry into service of a new jet engine. The GE90-115B engine is currently awaiting type certification on the 777-200LR. Delivery of the first 777-200LR aircraft is scheduled for January 2006. 

"Our customers recognize the proven performance, dispatch reliability and fuel efficiency of the twin-engine, GE90-powered Boeing 777 aircraft," said Lars Andersen, vice president - program manager, 777 Program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 

"This year has been outstanding for engine orders with more than 130 GE90 engines ordered by eight customers," says Tom Wygle, general manager of the GE90 engine program. "These new orders reflect our customers' trust in the technology and recognition of the operational benefits the GE90 engine has demonstrated." 

The GE90 is one of GE's "ecomagination" products portfolio-- GE's commitment to develop new, cost-effective technologies that will enhance customers' environmental and operating performance. Technologies from the GE90 continue to play a role in the new engines that GE is developing. The Engine Alliance, a joint venture between GE and Pratt & Whitney, utilized the GE90's hot section design for the GP7200, which will power the Airbus A380. The GE90's highly successful composite fan blades will be incorporated into the new GEnx engine, another "ecomagination" product offering, for Boeing's 787 and 747-8 aircraft and the Airbus A350 aircraft. 

GE - Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. GE also is a global provider of maintenance and support services for operators of GE jet engines.