The Hindu Business Line : GE’s Bangalore centre to develop engines for narrow-body aircraft

“We are in the early stages of development but it will get bigger. Now, the focus of aircraft manufacturers is shifting to the next generation of smaller, narrow-body aircraft.”

Ashwini Phadnis

Cincinnati (Ohio), June 30 The Bangalore-based research and development centre of GE is being used to develop next generation engines for narrow-body aircraft and regional and business jets, said the President and Chief Executive Officer, GE Aviation, Mr Scott Donnelly.

At the moment, attempts are being made to ensure that the new engines are at least 15 per cent more fuel efficient and less noisy than any of the existing engines on the narrow-body fleet in operation, GE Aviation officials added.

“We are in the early stages of development but it will get bigger. The team in Bangalore has been working on wide-body aircraft engines because that is what the industry wanted. We have already invested billions of dollars in developing the Genex engines which power the larger aircraft. Now, the focus of aircraft manufacturers is shifting to the next generation of smaller, narrow-body aircraft,” Mr Donnelly said.

Almost all the aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier and AVIC 1 in China are looking at developing narrow-body single aisle aircraft. No date, however, has yet been set for the first of these aircraft to enter commercial service.

“Trade studies are ongoing with the airframers and airlines to ensure that we apply the right technologies,” a GE official said. Engineers in Bangalore will provide the building blocks for the next generation of engines, the official added.

Advanced programmes

The centre has already been involved in advanced engine programmes, including GE90-1158, which power the Boeing 777-200 Long Range and 777-300 Extended Range aircraft being operated by Air India and Jet Airways.

Besides, the centre has also helped develop the GEnx-1B engines that will power the 27 Boeing 787s ordered by Air India, while the GEnx-2B will compete for selection on the 10 Boeing 787s ordered by Jet Airways.

“The Bangalore centre has grown by over 25 per cent per year over the last five years and will continue to grow in numbers, investment and research and development responsibilities,” the GE official added.

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