GE Aerospace, known for its GEnx engines powering commercial aviation, is working to make its engines more adaptable for use in extreme environments, according to a senior company official. The GEnx engines, widely used by South Asian airlines, have completed over two million flight hours in the region, primarily with Air India.
At present, 90 GEnx engines power wide-body Boeing aircraft operated by Air India, Vistara, and Biman Bangladesh. Air India accounts for over 90% of the two million flight hours recorded by these engines in South Asia.
Mahendra Nair, GE Aerospace’s Group Vice President for Commercial Programs, stated that globally, GEnx engines have clocked 51 million flight hours. He added that their usage in India is set to increase as more aircraft equipped with these engines enter service. Air India plans to add 20 Boeing 787 aircraft, which will be powered by 40 GEnx engines.
Delivered to South Asia in 2012, GEnx engines are built to perform in harsh environments, such as high temperatures and altitudes, where the engine performance is typically tested. “We’ve designed the engine to be highly adaptable so airlines can operate it under extreme conditions,” Nair said during an interview in New Delhi.
The GEnx engines have supported the rapid expansion of South Asia’s aviation sector. Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airlines, use these engines on their Boeing 787 fleets. According to Vikram Rai, South Asia CEO of GE Aerospace, with the stabilization of the fleet and Air India’s incoming Boeing 787 orders, the engines will achieve five million flight hours more quickly.
GE Aerospace continues to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance the sustainability of its engines. Advanced AI and machine learning models are used to predict maintenance needs more accurately. The company’s AI-driven Blade Inspection Tool (BIT) assists technicians in inspecting engine blades more efficiently, enabling faster and more consistent evaluations.
Additionally, CFM International—a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines—produces LEAP engines, which power many narrow-body aircraft used by Indian airlines. Currently, around 1,300 GE Aerospace and CFM engines are in service across various Indian carriers.
Beyond commercial aviation, GE Aerospace provides engines for defense applications, powering the Indian Air Force’s Tejas Mk1 fighter jets, helicopters, and the Indian Navy’s warships. The company has a manufacturing plant in Pune and a technology center in Bengaluru that focuses on aviation innovation.
