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Royal Jordanian Selects GEnx Engines for its Boeing 787 Fleet

October 09, 2007

 

EVENDALE, Ohio -- Royal Jordanian has selected the GEnx engine to power its Boeing 787 aircraft, making it the first airline in the Middle East to operate GEnx-powered Boeing 787s when delivery begins in 2010. 

"The GEnx engine offers significantly improved fuel efficiency, lower noise levels, reduced emissions and an overall low cost of ownership, which we require," said Samer Majali, president and CEO of Royal Jordanian. "With this order, we look forward to continuing to build on our strong relationship with GE for many years to come." Mr. Majali added Royal Jordanian went into a thorough and lengthy selection process performed by experienced and professional team that spent about four months in discussions and negotiations with engines manufacturers. 

"Royal Jordanian has been an important customer to GE, and we welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our continued commitment with the new GEnx engine," said Muhammad Al-Lamadani, GE Aviation pole general manager for the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union). "The GEnx engine is performing well in development testing, and we look forward to a successful entry into service." 

Created in 1963 by a Royal Decree issued by His Majesty the late King Hussein, Royal Jordanian has grown to cover a network of 54 destinations on four continents. Royal Jordanian operates an extensive fleet, including CF6-powered Airbus A310 aircraft, CF34-10E-powered EMB195, CFM56*-powered A340 aircraft and CFM56*-powered A320 aircraft. This year, Royal Jordanian joined OneworldTM airline alliance, offering its international traveling customers more connectivity and flight options. 

Royal Jordanian is currently in its final stages of the Privatization, and the IPO process is expected to be concluded in December 2007. According to the Government of Jordan plan, the sole owner, the government, will sell up to 74 percent of the shares of which 51 percent must be in the hands of Jordanians. The Company has received numerous awards in recognition of its operating performance, commercial success and commitment to customer comfort and satisfaction, including the 2007 Air Transport World's Phoenix Award and the Merit Award for the Airline Turnaround of the Year 2006 from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. In 2007, Airline Business magazine commended the Company for the integration of its technology systems, and the Company also received the King Abdullah Award in Jordan for the best provider to the Jordanian service industry. 

With more than 1,000 engines sold to date, the GEnx is the fastest-selling engine in GE's history. Based on the architecture of the GE90, the GEnx will succeed GE's CF6 engine. Compared to the CF6, the GEnx will offer 15 percent improved fuel efficiency and is designed to stay on wing 30 percent longer, while using 30 percent fewer parts, greatly reducing maintenance. The GEnx emissions will be as much as 95 percent below current regulatory limits, and the engine will be the quietest one that GE has produced based on a pound of thrust per decibel ratio. As the world's only jet engine with both a front fan case and fan blades made of composites, the GEnx will also have greater durability, less weight as well as lower operating costs than comparable engines in its class. 

Development testing on the GEnx engine continues at GE's Peebles, Ohio outdoor testing facility with certification anticipated by year end. Earlier this year, the engine successfully completed its certification tests for fan blade containment, vibration, emission and bird ingestions. GE also completed its flight test program with the GEnx engine mounts on GE's 747 flying testbed, which validated the GEnx-1B engine's performance in real world flight conditions. Testing on the GEnx-2B, which will power the Boeing 747-8 aircraft, is scheduled to begin later this year. 

IHI of Japan, TechSpace Aero of Belgium, Avio SpA. of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden 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 General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and components as well as integrated digital, electric power, and mechanical systems for aircraft. GE Aviation also has a global service network to support these offerings. 

*CFM56 engines are produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company.