GE engines worth $2 bn to power AI's Boeing fleet

In a major expansion of its Boeing fleet, Air India has ordered GE engines valued at more than $2.2 billion at list price to power its new Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. The agreement was signed today at Asian Aerospace between Mrs Sulekha Shrivastava, Southeast Asia regional manager for Air India and David Joyce, vice president of GE-Aviation's commercial engine operation.

The airline has ordered eight 777-200LRs and 15 777-300ERs, all powered by the GE90-115B engine. Air India has also ordered twenty seven 787-8 aircraft powered by the GEnx engine, the best-selling engine on the 787 aircraft. Delivery of the 777s is scheduled to begin in 2007, with the 787 deliveries to begin in 2008.

Air India hopes to gain fuel efficiency and performance from these installations. The GEnx provides significantly better fuel burn and payload performance than GE's CF6 engines. It is the world's only jet engine with a front fan case and fan blades made of composites, which provides for greater engine durability, weight reduction and lower operating costs.The GEnx also features a new combustor for efficient fuel mixing before ignition, resulting in significantly lower NOx levels.