GE90

Descripción general

The GE90 es el motor a reacción más potente del mundo, ostentando el récord oficial de empuje with the GE90-115B variant at 127,900 lbf (569 kN) — un récord Guinness World establecido durante una prueba en 2002 at GE's Peebles facility. Developed exclusively for the Boeing 777, the GE90 fue un diseño completamente nuevo que fue pionero en palas de fan compuestas de gran tamaño en la aviación comercial, with its 128-inch (3.25 m) composite fan on the GE90-115B siendo más grande en diámetro que el fuselaje de muchas aeronaves de fuselaje estrecho. Representa GE Aerospace's posición dominante en el mercado de fuselaje ancho and la base tecnológica para los posteriores GE large engines.

The GE90 fue seleccionado por British Airways y otros clientes de lanzamiento for the original 777-200 in 1995. However, it was the GE90-115B's selección exclusiva para el 777-200LR and 777-300ER — Boeing's highest-value variants — que aseguró el dominio del programa. Pratt & Whitney (PW4090) and Rolls-Royce (Trent 890) también ofrecieron motores para los primeros 777 variants, but GE90 logró casi exclusividad on the 777ER variants, and the GE90-115B became the sole engine for the 777-200LR, 777-300ER, and 777F. Esto aseguró miles de millones en ingresos de posventa for GE Aerospace durante la vida útil de varias décadas de la aeronave.

Especificaciones técnicas

Variantes

The GE90 family encompasses distinct thrust tiers. The GE90-76B/77B (76,000–77,000 lbf) powered early 777-200 variants for some operators. The GE90-85B/90B (85,000–90,000 lbf) served the 777-200 and some 777-200ER applications. The GE90-94B (94,000 lbf) is used by the 777-200ER. The landmark GE90-115B (115,300 lbf nominal, 127,900 lbf test record) is the motor exclusivo for the 777-200LR, 777-300ER, and 777F — GE's most commercially successful large engine variant. The 115B features a 128-inch composite fan with 22 blades (versus 92 blades on early metal-fan variants), a 10-stage HPC, and a 2-stage HPT with single-crystal superalloy blades.

Aplicaciones en aeronaves

• Boeing 777-200: GE90-76B/77B/85B (76,000–85,000 lbf) — bimotor de fuselaje ancho original, also offered with PW4090 and Trent 877
• Boeing 777-200ER: GE90-90B/94B (90,000–94,000 lbf) — variante de alcance extendido, also offered with PW4090 and Trent 895
• Boeing 777-200LR: GE90-115B (115,300 lbf) — ultra largo alcance, motor exclusivo, poseedor del récord mundial de alcance
• Boeing 777-300: GE90-115B (115,300 lbf) — variante alargada, also offered with PW4098 and Trent 892
• Boeing 777-300ER: GE90-115B (115,300 lbf) — variante del 777 más vendida, motor exclusivo, over 800 delivered

Historia del desarrollo

GE launched the GE90 development in 1990 as a clean-sheet design for the new 777 program. The first engine test run occurred in April 1993 at Peebles, Ohio. FAA certification was awarded in October 1995, and British Airways launched revenue service with GE90-powered 777-200s in November 1995. The GE90-115B variant — a substantial growth step enabled by a new composite fan and upgraded core — was certified in 2003, entering service on the 777-300ER with Air France. The record thrust test of 127,900 lbf in 2002 was conducted with a specially instrumented test engine to validate the 115B's structural margins. The GE90-115B production run will ultimately transition to support as the 777X enters service with the GE9X engine; however, the massive existing fleet of 777-300ER and 777F aircraft ensures GE90 maintenance, repair, and overhaul demand through the 2040s.