EVENDALE, OH -- International Airlines Group (IAG) has committed to purchasing 18 firm GE9X-powered Boeing 777-9 aircraft with options for an additional 24 aircraft for British Airways. The GE9X engines will be covered by a 30-year TrueChoice Flight Hour services agreement. The new engines and TrueChoice services agreement are valued at more than $6B list price and over the life of the services agreement.
“The GE9X engine is performing well in certification testing and will provide a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the GE90 engine,” said Chaker Chahrour, Vice President and General Manager of Global Sales and Marketing at GE Aviation. “This selection by IAG and British Airways affirms the confidence that customers have in the GE9X engine and 777X aircraft combination.”
More than 700 GE9X engines are on order with eight customers. The GE9X engine is in the 100,000 pound thrust class and has the largest front fan at 134 inches in diameter with a composite fan case and 16 fourth generation carbon fiber composite fan blades. Other key features include: a highly efficient next-generation 27:1 pressure-ratio high-pressure compressor; a third-generation low emissions TAPS III combustor; and lightweight and durable ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material in the combustor and turbine.
Certification testing on the GE9X engine continues with a second round of flight testing on GE Aviation’s flying testbed. Beyond flight testing, the engine recently completed the fan blade out test with icing, hailstorm and endurance testing underway. Engine certification is expected this year.
IHI Corporation, Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Aero Boosters and MTU Aero Engines AG are participants in the GE9X engine program.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, integrated digital, avionics, electrical power and mechanical systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings and is part of the world’s Digital Industrial Company with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive.