GENERAL ELECTRIC and Rolls-Royce are being pressed by Asiana Airlines to commit to development of higher-thrust engines to power Boeing 777-300s.
The South Korean carrier has specified that it wants a 430kN (98,000lb)-thrust engine to power its planned fleet of aircraft. The yet-to-be-selected engine is needed by early 1999 to meet delivery of Asiana's first stretched 777 twinjet.
Pratt & Whitney have already launched development of the PW4098, the first of which will enter service on Korean Air 777-300s in 1998. Neither R-R or GE have committed to developing a rival higher-thrust engine.
R-R plans to begin testing a 422kN version of its Trent 800 later in the year for Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways International 777-300s. With neither carrier requiring a larger engine, R-R remains undecided about uprating the Trent engine in the near future.
GE efforts are now focused on delivering its first 409kN GE90-92 by January 1998 for the 777-200IGW. GE chairman Jack Welch is understood to have reservations about committing additional funding to the development of the proposed 445kN GE90-100B engine.
Source: Flight International
