Full-scale development is under way for General Electric Company's new GEnx engine for the Boeing 7E7 Dreamliner, with several key technology-maturation tests taking place this year.
In addition to validating key components and technologies, the GEnx development team is continuing to refine the engine design with the goal of launching a final design in early 2005. Based on GE's fuel-efficient engine architecture pioneered by the GE90, GEnx is being designed to meet or exceed Boeing's aggressive performance targets for its new twin-engine 7E7.
Verification
GEnx, the replacement for GE's highly successful CF6 engine family, will produce 55,000 to 70,000 pounds (245 to 311 kN) of thrust for the 7E7. The first complete engine will go to test in 2006, followed by the first flight tests, with engine certification scheduled for 2007.
By year end the GEnx technology development programme will be completed, clearing the way for final design, hardware releases, and initiation of the certification process. GE has already run compressor core development tests with better than expected results.
The GEnx is being designed to bring a 15% improvement in specific fuel consumption over GE's CF6-80C2 engine for wide-body aircraft.
Source: Flight Daily News
