Skip to main content

Cargolux 747-8F first to reach 1 million hours on the GEnx engine

March 28, 2017

Luxembourg, 28 March 2017 – Five and a half years after entry into service of its first GEnx-powered 747--8F, Cargolux became the first operator worldwide to fly one million hours with this new engine type and remains GE’s GEnx fleet leader in total operating hours. With the first delivery of the 747-8F, Cargolux also became the launch customer of the GEnx engine that represents a giant leap forward in propulsion technology, using the latest materials and design processes to reduce weigh and improve performance.

It is also noteworthy that Cargolux has experienced no basic-engine caused in-flight shutdown of the engine since its entry into service.

“One million flight hours on a new engine type is a tremendous achievement, both for GE and Cargolux,” says Onno Pietersma, Cargolux EVP Maintenance & Engineering. “Our confidence in the GEnx has well paid off, even if we had to work around some teething problems with the engine that are perfectly normal for such an innovative design. GE’s support team has been extremely helpful in getting things on track and our 747-8 freighters benefit from the superior performance of this powerplant.”

”The GEnx engine has proven itself to be an outstanding engine in terms of technology and performance,” says Tom Levin, General Manager for GE’s GEnx engine program. “As the GEnx launch customer, Cargolux has led the fleet and we are proud to celebrate the one million flight hours with them.”

The Cargolux freighters flew record numbers of block hours during 2016 and, as a leading operator of Boeing’s 747-8F, the airline routinely achieves a record-high utilization of its fleet. Cargolux’s Maintenance Division maintains the fleet schedule reliability on a high level with an average dispatch rate of 97.7% for the 747-8F and 97.5% for the 747-400F in 2016. Thanks in no small part to its advanced GEnx engine, as well as improved aerodynamics and lighter materials, the 747-8 Freighter provides double-digit improvements in fuel consumption and carbon emissions – well below ICAO limits.

More than 1,600 GEnx-1B engines have been sold to 51 customers. Compared to GE's CF6 engine, the GEnx engine offers up to 15 percent better fuel efficiency, which translates to 15 percent less CO2. The GEnx's innovative twin-annular pre-swirl (TAPS) combustor dramatically reduces NOx gases as much as 55 percent below today's regulatory limits and other regulated gases as much as 90 percent. Based on the ratio of decibels to pounds of thrust, the GEnx is the quietest engine GE produces due to the large, more efficient fan blades that operate at slower tip speed, resulting in about 40 percent lower noise levels.

The GEnx is part of GE's "ecomagination" product portfolio - GE's business strategy to develop new, cost-effective technologies that enhance customers' environmental and operating performance.

GEnx’s revenue-sharing participants are IHI Corporation of Japan, Volvo Aero of Sweden, MTU of Germany, TechSpace Aero (Safran) of Belgium, Safran Aircraft Engines of France and Samsung Techwin of Korea.

About Cargolux Airlines International
Cargolux, based in Luxembourg, is Europe’s leading all-cargo airline with a modern and efficient fleet composed of 14 Boeing 747-8 freighters and 12 Boeing 747-400 freighters. The Cargolux worldwide network covers 90 destinations, some 70 of which are served on scheduled all-cargo flights. The company has more than 85 offices in over 50 countries, and operates an extensive global trucking network to more than 250 destinations as well as full and part-charter services. Cargolux also offers third-party maintenance at its modern two-bay maintenance hangar in Luxembourg. The company is specialized in B747 line and
hangar maintenance up to and including C-Checks. It offers a range of specialized maintenance services and holds line maintenance approval for 777 aircraft. The Cargolux Group employs close to 1,900 staff worldwide.

About GE Aviation
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, integrated digital, avionics, electrical power and mechanical systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings and is part of the world's Digital Industrial Company with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive.