GE Aviation celebrated the first test flight of the Boeing 777X on Saturday which was powered by revolutionary GE9X engines. In Development since 2013, the massive GE9X engines have completed more than 4,100 hours of ground and air testing.
On Saturday, GE Aviation joined the Boeing Commercial Airplanes team in celebrating the first test flight of the new Boeing 777X, powered by GE9X engines. The nearly four hour test flight went off without a hitch yesterday after several days of weather-related delays. The massive GE9X engine has been in design and development since 2013 and has completed over 4,100 hours of ground and flight testing, including 6,500 cycles. Additionally, in preparation for yesterday’s flight, the engine was tested on 72 flights totaling more than 400 hours on GE Aviation’s Boeing 747 flying test bed in Victorville, California. In Saturday’s announcement, GE Aviation’s President and CEO, David Joyce said,
“On behalf of the GE team, congratulations to Boeing on the first flight of the 777X. Today’s massive milestone is a testament to the outstanding work and dedication of both companies. We are proud to be the power under the wings of the 777X and provide this state-of-the-art aircraft with GE’s advanced technology.”
GE Aviation is in the process of wrapping up certification testing for the GE9X which is expected to be completed later this year. So far, eight GE9X engines and two spares have been produced for Boeing’s test aircraft. Six have already been delivered to Boeing for their first three aircraft and the balance will be delivered in the coming weeks. Also commenting on Boeing’s successful 777X test flight, GE Aviation’s GE9X Program Manager, Ted Ingling added,
“The flight test program of the Boeing 777X with GE9X will validate the performance objectives and advantages of this airplane and engine combination. The Ge9X is the most fuel-efficient jet engine that GE has ever produced, operating at 10 percent lower fuel consumption than competing engines.”
The GE9X has the largest front fan at 134 inches and is in the 100,000-pound thrust class. The engine has a composite fan case and 16 fourth generation carbon fiber composite fan blades, resulting in significant weight savings. Other major innovations include a highly efficient next generation 27:1 pressure-ratio compressor and a third generation low emissions TAPS III combustor. Additionally, the revolutionary engine contains 3D printed parts and durable lightweight ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material in the combustor and turbine.
In addition to the engines, GE Aviation has also supplied other critical components for the 777X including the Common Core System (CCS), the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), the Electrical Load Management System (ELMS), the Backup Generator and the Backup Converter (BUG/BUC). Other partners in the GE9X engine program include IHI Corporation, Safran and MTU Aero Engines AG.
Source: GE Aviation