First Choice Airways
has purchased an additional four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, powered by the GEnx engine. The purchase takes total GEnx orders to 830 for 28 customers, with a list price value of more than $10bn.
This most recent First Choice engine order is valued at more than $125m. This is First Choice’s third order for GEnx-powered Boeing 787s, bringing its total order to 12 aircraft. First Choice Airways, a subsidiary of First Choice Holidays, was the first GEnx customer. Aircraft deliveries to First Choice begin in 2009.
Since February, the GEnx has been flight-testing on GE's 747 flying testbed. GEnx development engines have accumulated more than 1,000 hours of testing in ground tests since March 2006. Engine certification is scheduled for later this year.
Based on the GE90 architecture, the GEnx engine is said to be one of the quietest, most fuel-efficient jet engines ever. It will succeed GE's CF6 family, the best-selling engine on wide-body aircraft.
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