EVENDALE, OHIO -- The GEnx-1B engine has completed its first flight on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which flew today at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
"The GEnx engine program has been designing, developing and testing the engine for five years so today's events are a testament to the team's extraordinary efforts," said Tom Brisken, general manager of the GEnx program.
The first flight of the Boeing 787 aircraft lasted three hours and 48 minutes and is part of the overall flight-testing program to demonstrate the aircraft's capabilities. The first flight of the GEnx-1B engine follows the February first flight of the GEnx-2B engine, which has logged more than 1,800 flight-hours on the Boeing 747-8 aircraft.
The GEnx is the fastest selling engine in GE's history with about 1,300 engines on order and more than 800 of these orders are for the GEnx-1B engine.
Based on the proven architecture of the GE90, the GEnx engine will succeed GE's CF6 engine. Compared to the CF6 engine, the GEnx-1B engine will offer 15 percent improved fuel efficiency, which translates to 15 percent less CO2. The engine achieves these improvements with aerodynamic advancements that enable higher pressures and improved energy extraction from a more compact core architecture that has significantly fewer parts.
The GEnx's innovative twin-annular pre-swirl, TAPS, combustor will dramatically reduce NOx gases as much as 60 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 will be the quietest engine GE has produced due to the large, more efficient fan blades that operate at a slower tip speed, resulting in about 30 percent lower noise levels. The GEnx will be the world's only jet engine with both a front fan case and fan blades made of carbon fiber composites.
IHI of Japan, Avio SpA. of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden, MTU of Germany, TechSpace Aero of Belgium, Snecma (SAFRAN Group) of France and Samsung Techwin of Korea are revenue-sharing participants in the GEnx program.
The GEnx is part of GE's "ecomagination" product portfolio--GE's commitment to develop new, cost-effective technologies that enhance customers' environmental and operating performance.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings.