Summary
- GE Aerospace secures new orders from TAAG Angola Airlines and Royal Air Maroc for GEnx engines to power their Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
- TAAG Angola Airlines orders eight GEnx-1B engines and one spare, while Royal Air Maroc orders four GEnx-1B engines.
- GE’s GEnx engines are the preferred choice among airlines, with over 712 GEnx-powered Dreamliners in service compared to 384 Trent 1000-powered Dreamliners.
This week, GE Aerospace announced new orders from TAAG Angola Airlines and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) for at least 12 GEnx engines to power their new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The two carriers are among the latest in Africa to order the widebody and picked their preferred engines during the 2023 Dubai Airshow.
A new order from Angola
TAAG Angola Airlines announced its deal with the engine manufacturer on November 15 in Dubai. The Luanda-based airline placed an order for eight GEnx-1B engines and one spare to power its new fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft. This comes about a month after TAAG confirmed an order for four new Dreamliners as part of its fleet renewal strategy.
Photo: Boeing
The order is split between two 787-9s and two 787-10s, with the first delivery expected as early as August 2024. This highly efficient aircraft will enable TAAG, under its new brand, to open new routes and expand its presence in the international markets. This is its first Dreamliner order and, therefore, the start of its journey with the GEnx-1B engine. Highlighting the importance of this agreement, TAAG Angola CEO Eduardo Fairen said,
“We are pleased to continue to grow our relationship the GE Aerospace. This agreement shows our continued dedication to modernizing our fleet with more efficient equipment while providing our customers with an improved flight experience.”
While the carrier is a new 787 customer, it is no stranger to GE Aerospace’s engines. Its fleet of five Boeing 777-300ERs is powered by GE90-115B engines. So, in addition to the new deal, TAAG and GE Aerospace signed a TrueChoice services agreement to cover its Triple Seven engines. The airline will receive support with spare parts, component repair, and used serviceable part upgrades.
The order from Morocco
On November 14, GE Aerospace announced a similar order from Royal Air Maroc for four GEnx-1B engines to power the airline’s new Dreamliner fleet. This came just two days after the Casablanca-based carrier confirmed the order for two more B787-9s as it continues to strengthen its long-standing relationship with Boeing and General Electric.
Photo: Boeing
The Moroccan flag carrier operates nine Dreamliners split between five -8s and four -9s. They are all powered by GEnx engines. With the new order, the larger -9 will be the most prominent 787 in its fleet. GE Aerospace’s Vice President of Commercial Programs, Kathy MacKenzie, said,
“We are very pleased that the GEnx continues to be the engine of choice for RAM’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. GE Aerospace and RAM have forged a strong relationship during the last few decades, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship for many more years.”
According to RAM CEO Abdelhamid Addou, this agreement supports the carrier’s ambitions to continue enhancing its fleet while expanding its intra-Africa network and long-haul routes to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. RAM has extraordinary plans to quadruple its fleet over the next 15 years, adding more than 150 new aircraft in partnership with the Moroccan government.
Two engine options
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has two engine options – General Electric GEnx and Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. According to the American manufacturer, the GEnx engine family has racked up over 50 million flight hours in the past 12 years. About 3,000 of the type are currently in service and on backlog, including spares, making it the fastest-selling, high-thrust engine in the company’s history.
However, several major carriers also operate Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 787s, including All Nippon Airways (ANA), Air China, and Singapore Airlines. According to the British manufacturer, the Trent 1000-powered 787 is 20% more efficient than the 767 it replaces. It was specifically optimized to power the popular Boeing widebody.
However, the GEnx seems to be the preferred engine option among airlines. GE says it delivers a 1.4% fuel burn savings on the 787 compared to its competition. According to ch-aviation’s fleet module, there are approximately 712 GEnx-powered Dreamliners and only 384 Trent 1000-powered Dreamliners in active service today.
What are your thoughts on TAAG Angola and Royal Air Maroc picking the GEnx for their fleets? Which engine do you prefer? Please let us know in the comments!
Source: ch-aviation