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GEnx Engines Powered Japan Airlines' Historic First Flight of Its Boeing 787 Dreamliner

April 23, 2012

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS -The historic April 22 flight of Japan Airlines' GEnx-1B-powered Boeing 787 Dreamliner marked a number of firsts: JAL's first flight of the newly delivered Dreamliner, the first revenue-generating flight of the GEnx-1B engine, and the first non-stop Asia to Boston flight from Tokyo's Narita International Airport to Boston's Logan International Airport.

"JAL's GEnx-powered Boeing 787 Dreamliners can take more passengers in comfort directly to their destination," said Ryo Ogawa, vice president and captain of the Flight Crew 787 for Japan Airlines. "The B787 and the GEnx engines are a perfect fit, balancing each other out beautifully. I've flown the B777, the B747-400 and the B737-400, and they've all had GE engines. JAL pilots, me included, have a lot of respect for GE aircraft engines."

"GE is proud to be a part of this historic flight with JAL and excited to see the GEnx-1B enter service," said Bill Fitzgerald, vice president and general manager of Commercial Engine Operations at GE Aviation. "The GEnx engine will provide Japan Airlines with many benefits, including improved fuel efficiency, fewer emissions and less noise than comparable engines in its class."

Compared to GE's CF6 engine, the GEnx engine offers:

  • Up to 15 percent better fuel efficiency, which translates to 15 percent less CO2,
  • NOx gases emissions as much as 55 percent below today's regulatory limits on and the emission of other regulated gases as much as 90 percent below today's regulatory limits, and
  • 30 percent lower noise levels.

Based on proven GE90 architecture, the GEnx-1B engine is the best-selling engine on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the GEnx engine family is the fastest-selling engine in GE Aviation history with more than 1,300 engines on order. More than 800 firm GEnx-1B engines have been ordered to date from 27 customers, and these commitments are valued at $16 billion (USD) list price.

Revenue-sharing participants on the GEnx are IHI Corporation 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.

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.

GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings.