IOC: 2008
Total Production: 1,347
Total Program's Cost: USD$24 billion
GEnx 2B
IOC: 2009
Production: 353
Unitary Cost: USD$11.9 million
Also Known As
GEnx 2B67 GEnx-2B67
Origin United States of America
Contractor/s Avio General Electric Aviation * Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) Samsung Techwin Techspace Aero Volvo Aero Applications
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Boeing 747-8F
Description:
The GENX (General Electric Next Generation) commercial engine is being developed to power the newest Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. It will produce 55,000 to 70,000 pounds of thrust with the first engine going to test by 2006 and certification expected one year later. Seven engines will be dedicated to the engine certification effort and two engines to long-term endurance testing. In December 2004, Airbus launched the A350 passenger aircraft project which was reported would be powered by General Electric's GEnx engines. Boeing selected GEnx engine to power its newest 747-8 variant in November 2005.
It will receive architectural design and solutions from high-thrust GE90 engine. GENX will feature composite front fan blades derived from the GE90 engine, a high-pressure ratio compressor derived from GE90 with fuel efficiency and all-electric modifications due to 787 requirements, and a twin-annular combustor to achieve lower emissions.
A final design for the GEnx engine is anticipated in early 2005. General Electric Aircraft Engines also envisages the GEnx as the replacement for the successful CF6 family of engines with a 15% in specific fuel consumption improvement over CF6-80C2 wide-body aircraft engine. The new engine will future lower noise and high bypass ratio of almost 9.5 to 1 with a 111-in front-fan.
The fan case made of composites and based on the GE90 engine will provide a weight reduction of 400 pounds (181 kg). The GEnx fan blade design will be based on the GE90 engine as well. Both front fan case and fan blade are made of composite materials that will provide greater engine durability and dramatic weight reduction. The 10-stage high pressure compressor is based on the GE90-94B and will remain as the highest pressure-ratio compressor available.
The combustor will incorporate a twin-annular, pre-swirler lean-burning design that allows for efficient fuel mixing before ignition, resulting in significantly lower NOx levels and better hot section life. Finally, the two-stage high-pressure first turbine is followed by multi-stage, counter-rotating, low-pressure turbine (LPT). The counter-rotating low pressure turbine is the key element introduced by GE to achieve improved fuel burn and fewer parts in both turbines.
On 13 August 2004, General Electric announced that had reached an agreement with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) of Japan, and Avio SpA. of Italy to be revenue-sharing participants (RSPs) on the new GEnx Jet engine. IHI and Avio will be responsible for design and manufacture of approximately 27% of the entire GEnx program. IHI will be charged with the low pressure turbine, while Avio will assume overall responsibility for the engine gearboxes.
GEnx final design was expected in early 2005. The first full engine will undergo tests beginning in 2006 and followed by engine first flight. The engine certification is anticipated by 2007. Early engine tests began in the late 2004 in Evendale, Ohio, using a representative engine with the front fan case and fan blades made of composites.
On January 20, 2005 General Dynamics announced that five international partners comprising Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) of Japan, Avio SpA of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden, Techspace Aero of Belgium and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of Japan will have approximately 36 percent share of the GENX engine. Following fierce competition between Airbus and Boeing, GENX will be designed to power both Boeing 7E7/787 and Airbus A350 twin-engine, wide-body long range jetliners.
The Boeing company selected General Electric's GEnx engine to power the proposed Advanced 747 airplane featuring more payload and more range than current 747s. The Advanced 747 would be able to travel 8,000 nautical miles (approx. 15,000 kilometers) carrying 450 passengers. Boeing anticipated a potential for the Advanced 747 ranging from 250 to 300 airplanes.
Boeing officially launched the Boeing 747-8 family of aircraft, formerly the Advanced 747, with the General Electric GEnX as its sole engine on November 14, 2005. Luxembourg-based CargoLux and Japanese operator Nippon Cargo Airlines ordered 10 and 8 747-8 freighters respectively.
GEnx 2B67 is the engine model selected to power the Boeing 747-8 aircraft family. The new engine would be rated at 66,500 pounds of thrust and scheduled for entry into service by September 2009 powering a CargoLux 747-8 Freighter. GEnx 2B67 leverages composite fan case and fan blades and the TAPS (twin-annular, pre-swirler) combustor system that have been introduced in the GEnx engine for Boeing's 787 aircraft. The 747-8 engine front fan is 105 inches in diameter compared to 111 inches on the 787 aircraft.
On 18 July 2006, Boeing and Emirates signed a purchase agreement for 10 747-8 freighters worth $2.8 billion to be operated by Emirates SkyCargo. In parallel, Emirates also signed the engine contract with General Electric for 45 GenX engines valued at $600 million. The contract was signed at the Farnborough Air Show in England and was finalized October 9, 2006, in Dubai, UAE. The engine deal also included a 10-year $300 million OnPointSM Solutions maintenance and overhaul of Genx engines agreement. Aircraft deliveries were expected to start in 2010.
On 12 September 2006, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings placed an order for 12 GEnx-powered Boeing 747-8 freighters valued at about $3.4 billion thus becoming the launch for the airplane in North America. The engine deal with General Electric was valued at more than $700 million. Aircraft deliveries were expected to begin in 2010.
On 17 October 2006, Guggenheim Aviation Partners, LLC ordered four Boeing 747-8 Freighters with an option to order an additional two airplanes. The order was valued at $1.12 billion with deliveries starting in 2009. The engine contract for General Electric's Genx was valued at $175 million.
Specifications Dimensions: Diameter 2.7 m
Engine/s Performance: Thrust 66,500 lb (30,164 kg)
China / 40 
Germany / 80 
Japan / 32 
Luxembourg / 52 
Russia / 20 
United Arab Emirates / 65 
United States of America / 64