Four GEnx-2B engines powered the maiden flight for Boeing's new 747-8 Freighter aircraft, which flew yesterday at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

"The first flight of the GEnx-powered Boeing 747-8 aircraft is the culmination of about five years of engine design, development and testing at GE," said Tom Brisken, general manager of the GEnx program. "GE is excited to play an important part in the 747-8 program, and we look forward to completing the flight test program and delivering to our first customer, Cargolux, later this year."

The first flight of the Boeing 747-8 aircraft lasted almost four hours and is part of an extensive flight testing program that will demonstrate the capabilities of the aircraft. The GEnx-2B engine is the first GEnx engine to fly on a new aircraft for Boeing. Later this year, the GEnx-1B engine is expected to take its first flight powering the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Optimized for the Boeing 747-8 aircraft, the GEnx-2B engine shares a common core and 80 percent of the line-replaceable units with the GEnx-1B. The GEnx is the fastest selling engine in GE's history with about 1,300 engines on order and more than 400 of these orders are for the GEnx-2B engine.

Based on the proven architecture of the GE90, the GEnx engine will succeed GE's CF6 engine. Compared to the CF6 engine, the GEnx-2B engine will offer 13 percent improved fuel efficiency, which translates to 13 percent less CO2. The engine achieves these improvements with aerodynamic advancements that enable higher pressures and improved energy extraction from a more compact core architecture that has significantly fewer parts.

The GEnx's innovative twin-annular pre-swirl, TAPS, combustor will dramatically reduce NOx gases as much as 60 percent below today's regulatory limits and other regulated gases as much as 90 percent. Based on the ratio of decibels to pounds of thrust, the GEnx will be the quietest engine GE has produced due to the large, more efficient fan blades that operate at a slower tip speed, resulting in about 30 percent lower noise levels. The GEnx will be the world's only jet engine with both a front fan case and fan blades made of carbon fiber composites.

IHI of Japan, Avio SpA. of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden, MTU of Germany, TechSpace Aero of Belgium, Snecma (SAFRAN Group) of France and Samsung Techwin of Korea are revenue-sharing participants in the GEnx program.

The GEnx is part of GE's "ecomagination" product portfolio--GE's commitment to develop new, cost-effective technologies that enhance customers' environmental and operating performance.