Almost lost amidst the acrimony and controversy over a delay in the delivery of the first 747-8F to Cargolux, which finally occurred yesterday, is the fact that the first of the new generation GEnx engines has entered service. The GEnx-2B engines power the 747-8, and the GEnx-1B will also soon enter service on the 787-8.
GE currently has order for more than 1,300 GEnx engines for 47 customers between the 747-8 and 787 programs. The GEnx features a lightweight and durable composite fan case, 18 composite blades in the fan section, a four stage booster, 10 stage compressor, low NOx TAPS combustor, a 2 stage HPT and 7 stage LPT to generate 15% better fuel efficiency than the prior generation of engines.
Congratulations to GE and Boeing on their first deliveries of new technology programs.
Deserved, sort of, but fleeting because hard on the heels of this “accomplishment” is the announcement of another substantial delay in the delivery of United’s first 787. No explantion so far, except some reference to “production” delay. See the latest Flightblogger entry. And what good would any explanation from B be? In the last year or so I have allowed myself to hope that under Albugh B had at least started telling the truth about the 787 program; that the lying and dissembling that had infected the progrom from Mike Bear to Scott Carson had ended. Now we know that is not true. How can this “production” delay be reconciled with B’s recent claims that their supply/production system is under control and functioning well so that the much bally-hooed production rate increases to 2.5 to 3.5 to 10 and finally to 17 787s/mo are attainable? Obviously they cannot be. Which I think brings into clear focus that B will not be able to deliver on its huge back log in any way that is predictable now. These planes are likely to be late, late, late, and late again, and B will be paying, paying, paying.
The time has come I think for all of us who care about the aero space industry in general and B in particular to admit into our consiousness that the 787 program is a scourge that will drain B for years to come because it’s production system is unrepairable, and may well collapse because B will never be able deliver its backlog in any remotely reasonale time (ie before the planes they were to replace have finally come to the end of their lives). If it is not one thing, it will always be another, like a Ground Hog Day bad dream repeating and repeating itself without end. I think you journalists now have an urgent professional obligation to finally, once and for all, flush out B’s lyng culture, and expose it and the 787 program for what they are.
Hello !
To be exact, the GEnx 2B was largely under the SFC specs’ of the original GEnx 1B !
The lower BPR may have originally costed 3-4% vs the 787 Engine
More the 2% missing today !
In the cas of the 748, GE may be only in the low 10% of the 15% praised , an not acomplished today for the 787 !
So far, congratulations to GE, may wait one or two years further !
JP