Ten years ago this week, the world's most powerful jet engine, the GE90, entered service on the new Boeing 777. Since then, the GE90 engine family has amassed a record of outstanding reliability while supporting the worldwide success of Boeing's twin-engine, long-range -777 aircraft family.
Throughout the last decade, GE has continued to invest in the GE90 engine family, which has grown from its initial certification at 76,400lb (340kN) of thrust to an unprecedented 115,000lb of thrust today. To date, more than 350 GE90 engines are in service.
GE introduced the first major derivative growth engine, the GE90-94B, in 2000. The baseline GE90-76B through the GE90-94B engines have logged more than 6.4 million flight hours. The GE90-94B engine, in particular, has an outstanding in-flight shutdown rate of 0.003 per 1,000 engine flight-hours, well below the current 180min ETOPS requirement of 0.020 per 1,000 engine flight-hours.
In 2004, the GE90-115B entered service, powering the 777-300ER. To date, the GE90-115B engine has completed more than 160,000h and 22,000 cycles with no engine removals and no in-flight shutdowns – a remarkable achievement for an entry into service of a new jet engine. The GE90-115B engine is currently awaiting type certification on the 777-200LR. Delivery of the first 777-200LR aircraft is scheduled for January 2006.
"This year has been outstanding for engine orders with more than 130 GE90 engines ordered by eight customers," says Tom Wygle, general manager of the GE90 engine programme. "These new orders reflect our customers' trust in the technology and recognition of the operational benefits the GE90 engine has demonstrated."
Certification
The GE90 is one of GE's ‘ecomagination’ products portfolio – GE's commitment to developing new, cost-effective technologies that will enhance customers' environmental and operating performance.
Technologies from the GE90 continue to play a role in the new engines that GE is developing. The Engine Alliance JV between GE and Pratt & Whitney utilises the GE90's hot section design for the GP7200, which will power the Airbus A380. The GE90's highly successful composite fan blades will be incorporated into the new GEnx engine, another ‘ecomagination’ product offering, for Boeing's 787 and 747-8 aircraft and the Airbus A350 aircraft.
GEOFF THOMAS
Source: Flight Daily News
