CINCINNATI - GE Aerospace in Cincinnati announced today that Delta Air Lines in Atlanta has selected GEnx engines to power 30 new Boeing 787-10 aircraft, with options for 30 additional airplanes. The agreement also includes spare engines and long-term services support.
The GEnx-1B engine features a high-bypass turbofan architecture designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce operating costs for long-range aircraft. The engine incorporates a large-diameter fan with 18 carbon-fiber composite blades and a composite fan case, reducing weight while maintaining structural strength. Advanced compressor aerodynamics enable high overall pressure ratios, improving thermal efficiency across a wide operating envelope.
The engine also uses GE Aerospace’s Twin-Annular Pre-Swirl combustor, which premixes fuel and air prior to ignition to reduce peak flame temperatures and lower nitrogen oxide emissions. The GEnx incorporates advanced materials, such as titanium aluminide blades in the low-pressure turbine, to reduce rotating mass and improve fuel burn, as well as additively manufactured components that reduce part count and improve durability.
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Digital controls
In addition to its mechanical design, the GEnx relies on an advanced full authority digital engine control system to manage engine operation across all phases of flight. The FADEC system integrates embedded computing, sensor data, and real-time control algorithms to optimize fuel flow, variable stator vane positioning, and engine health monitoring. These electronics improve efficiency, provide consistent thrust response, and reduce pilot workload while enabling predictive maintenance through continuous data collection and analysis.
GE says engine health monitoring and diagnostics are further supported by an extensive network of sensors measuring temperature, pressure, vibration, and rotational speed throughout the engine. Data from these sensors is processed by onboard electronics and transmitted to ground-based analytics systems, enabling condition-based maintenance strategies and improved time-on-wing.
"GE Aerospace's GEnx engines will enable us to connect our passengers to international destinations across the globe with greater efficiency and improved reliability, and are foundational to our growth vision," Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer, added. "We look forward to bringing these cutting-edge engines into our fleet."
