GE Aerospace's GEnx Engine Surpasses Two Million Flight Hours with South Asian Airlines

GE Aerospace announces its GEnx engine has achieved two million flight hours with South Asian airlines since its introduction in 2012, powering Air India, Vistara, and Biman Bangladesh flights. The engine boasts significant advancements in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction, contributing to aviation sustainability goals.

GE Aerospace marked a significant milestone on Wednesday as its GEnx commercial aviation engine reached two million flight hours with South Asian airlines. Since the first delivery in 2012, 90 GEnx engines have been powering flights for Air India, Vistara, and Biman Bangladesh.

'The GEnx engine has been instrumental in supporting South Asia's aviation growth. This milestone is a testament to its engineering excellence and technology maturity,' said Mahendra Nair, Group Vice President for Commercial Programme at GE Aerospace, during a visit to New Delhi. 'We continue to support our customers' business goals with our best technology and service offerings,' he added.

Vikram Rai, South Asia Chief Executive Officer at GE Aerospace, expressed pride in their long-standing relationships with South Asian airlines. 'We are proud of our long relationships with the South Asian airlines, including most recently Air India, as it plans expansion of operations with 20 new wide-body aircraft that will be powered by 40 GEnx engines,' he noted. The GEnx engine, which powers Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the 747-8, represents a significant advancement in propulsion technology.

The engine's superior performance results in reduced operating costs and a lower carbon footprint, aligning with global aviation sustainability goals. It is 15 percent more fuel-efficient and emits up to 15 percent less CO2 than its predecessor, the CF6 engine. The GEnx engine is a product of decades of operational knowledge and experience, derived from the GE90 engine. Its innovative twin-annular pre-swirl (TAPS) combustor reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 60% below current regulatory limits.

In March 2023, the GEnx engines powered the first wide-body aircraft on a long-haul route to India using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Vistara's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flew from Charleston, South Carolina, to New Delhi on a blend of 30 percent SAF with conventional jet fuel. GE Aerospace continually monitors its GEnx commercial engines in service and uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models to increase the number of conditions monitored with greater accuracy.

GE Aerospace's AI-enabled Blade Inspection Tool (BIT) enhances the inspection of Stage 1 and 2 high-pressure turbine engine blades, ensuring faster and more accurate assessments. This innovation supports the development of predictive models. GE Aerospace has been a partner to India's aviation industry for over forty years, with 1,300 of its engines in service, powering major Indian airlines and the Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk 1, helicopters, and the Indian Navy's vessels.

(With inputs from agencies.)