Air France-KLM chose GE Aviation to supply engines for a total of 37 new Boeing 787 jets it has on order — an assignment worth more than $1.7 billion, the General Electric manufacturing unit announced. Of the new aircraft, 25 will be owned by the airline, and 12 will be owned by a leasing agency and operated by Air France-KLM.
The 787 “Dreamliner” is a wide-body twin-engine aircraft with long range and carrying capacity for 210 to 330 passengers. Boeing Commercial Airplanes says the jet is its most fuel-efficient aircraft, with a structure based on a large volume of composite materials helping to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% versus similar-size jets. A more advanced aerodynamic design than previous jets, more-electric systems, and modern engines add to the 787’s appeal to airlines.
Boeing offers two engine options for the 787, the GEnx and Rolls-Royce Plc’s Trent 1000.
The GEnx (General Electric Next-generation) engine is a dual-rotor, axial flow, high-bypass turbofan jet engine produced for Boeing 787 and 747-8 models.
"GE's GEnx engines offer Air France-KLM several significant benefits, including lower fuel burn, low emissions, and less noise," explained the airline’s chairman and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac. "These attributes will help us lower our cost of ownership and reduce our footprint on the environment. Furthermore, this new partnership positions us as a major player in the maintenance of these new generation engines."
In addition to the engine supply, the airline and GE Aviation have an agreement that allows Air France-KLM to offer maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for GEnx-1B engines. It means the airline will be licensed to perform maintenance and overhaul work on the engines, and GE will provide technical support and assistance on overhaul “workscoping” and component repair licenses, comprehensive material support, and training.
"Air France-KLM and GE have a strong history, and we are proud to power Air France-KLM's Boeing 787 fleet," stated David Joyce, president and CEO at GE Aviation.
