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Issues with Trent 1000-powered aircraft have severely hampered many Boeing 787 operators, with 
British Airways having blamed many of these issues on shortages caused by Rolls-Royce. This is the latest in a string of bad news for the Trent 1000 program, which has seen some airlines switching to General Electric’s GEnx for their Boeing 787 Dreamliner orders.
This article explores the combination of GEnx strengths and Trent 1000 weaknesses that have led many airlines to opt for the GEnx, along with signs that General Electric will continue to hold dominance over the widebody aircraft market. We will also consider whether some airlines may start to regret their commitment to GEnx-powered 787s over the coming years.
The Airlines Choosing GEnx-Powered 787s
Recent times have seen many airlines, some of whom operate Trent 1000-powered 787s, opting for the GEnx on their pending orders. One example is Air New Zealand, which currently has 14 Trent 1000-powered 787s and no GEnx models, but three GEnx-powered 787s on order. More significant is All Nippon Airways, which has 78 Rolls-Royce-powered 787s and just seven GEnx examples. Meanwhile, the carrier has 15 GEnx 787s on order.
Perhaps the most damning example for Rolls-Royce is British Airways, which currently operates 41 Trent 1000-powered 787s. However, the carrier has opted to order six GEnx-powered Dreamliners. This indicates a split between two iconic British companies that have previously shared exceptionally close relationships. For example, in 2007, British Airways opted for more Boeing 777s powered by Trent 800 engines. Mike Terrett, then-President of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce, reflected on the two companies’ closeness:
“The Trent’s selection reflects British Airways’ positive view of the engine’s in-service performance, while the extension of the TotalCare contract is an endorsement of the maintenance agreements which have been in place for the last seven years. Repeat business sends a strong signal, and I’m delighted that we are expanding our fleet presence with a world-class customer.”
Smaller 787 operators have also opted to move away from the Trent 1000. For example, Air Tanzania operates 2 Trent 1000 and 1 GEnx-powered Dreamliners. The African carrier has opted for GEnx engines on its single 787 on order.
These Airlines Changed Their Boeing 787 Engines From Rolls-Royce To GE: Here’s Why
While around 34% of the Dreamliners flying today have RR engines, only around 8% of the known engine option orders are for RR engines.
Why Might Airlines Prefer The GEnx-1B?
The GEnx-1B is the ideal engine for the 787 Dreamliner’s mission of achieving low operating costs and high efficiency in aviation for several reasons. It outperforms the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 in operating expenses and carbon emissions. The GEnx is also a more reliable engine, with fewer unscheduled removals, which allows for fewer disrupted flights. The table below compares the key statistics for the 787 engine operations. The selected GEnx variant (-1b74/75) is the engine used for the 787-9.
|
Characteristics |
GEnx |
Trent 1000 |
|---|---|---|
|
Fan diameter |
111.1 in (282 cm) |
112 in (285 cm) |
|
Takeoff/maximum thrust |
74,100 lbf (330 kN) |
59,600–81,000 lbf (265.3–360.4 kN) |
|
Thrust-to-weight ratio |
5.47 |
6.01 |
|
Bypass ratio |
9.1 |
10:1 |
|
Dry weight |
13,552 lb (6,147 kg) |
13,087–13,492 lb (5,936–6,120 kg) |
The GEnx is also attractive in the marketplace because it powers the 747-8, although only the -2B67B variant has this role. That makes General Electric’s engine ideal for carriers that have a mixture of 787s and 747s, as this combination represents a reduction in maintenance challenges.
Reliability Concerns Continue To Hamper The Dreamliner
A key reason that many carriers have opted to move away from the Trent 1000 is its seemingly endless reliability issues. A significant problem is blade cracking, first experienced by All Nippon Airways, and later impacting Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic. These airlines had to ground some 787s in 2017. High-pressure turbine wear and compressor fatigue have also caused airlines problems. These issues necessitate financially crippling maintenance and repairs, with Rolls-Royce explaining in 2017 that:
““We continue to make solid progress with longer-term solutions, largely through the re-design of affected parts, and we expect these to be fully embodied in the Trent 1000 fleet by 2022.”
However, given the unconvincing nature of Rolls-Royce’s past efforts to improve the Trent 1000’s reliability, this promise will not inspire confidence in its customers. Rolls-Royce introduced the Trent 1000 TEN in 2016, which upgraded the engine’s heat resistance, high-pressure turbine blade, and software. The fact that the market is moving away from the Trent 1000 indicates such efforts have not managed to turn around negative perceptions of the engine.
The 777X: Another Case of General Electric’s Widebody Dominance
Rolls-Royce was able to secure its position as one of the engine options for the Dreamliner, although its performance has underwhelmed some carriers. This was not achieved for the upcoming 
Boeing 777X, which will be powered exclusively by the General Electric GE-9X, demonstrating an impressive dominance for General Electric in the widebody industry. The GE-9X is slated to be the largest and most powerful commercial jet engine ever built.
Such power is necessary because just two of these engines will power an enormous aircraft. This engine has already undergone 27,000 cycles and 17,000 hours of testing, including 1,600 cycles of dust ingestion tests. This testing is more than any other GE Aerospace engine from previous years has undergone before entering into service. It has now started rolling off the production line, allowing 777X production to get back on track. Tyler-Blair Sheppard, Head of Marketing for the GE9X, said:
“We’ve run the heck out of the engine, and customers have been really impressed by the dust test data coming back, which is the equivalent of almost three years of normal use on the engine. (…) It will all result in a more durable engine in harsh environments.”
However, the 777X has continued to be delayed, and deliveries are not expected until 2027. In this context, the GE9X is yet to be tested under actual commercial operating conditions. No matter how many hours the engine puts in on the testbed, its actual capacity cannot be known until its trials in the real world begin.
Rolls-Royce Vs General Electric Engines: What Are The Key Differences?
Rolls-Royce and GE currently share the world’s widebody engines, while also makes many narrowbody engines.
Rolls-Royce Fights Back
Rolls-Royce isn’t going down from the widebody aircraft market without a fight. It has been working on the UltraFan, the world’s largest commercial aviation engine. This jet can produce 85,000 lbs of thrust, and Airbus wants to work with the manufacturer to produce the most efficient long-range engine yet. This engine was first tested in 2023 with 100% sustainable aviation fuel. The firm’s CEO, Tufan Erginbilgic, described the importance of the engine for Rolls-Royce and aviation:
“The UltraFan demonstrator is a game changer – the technologies we are testing as part of this programme have the capability to improve the engines of today as well as the engines of tomorrow. That is why this announcement is so important – we are witnessing history in the making, a step-change in engine efficiency improvement.”
Not only will the UltraFan be highly efficient and powerful, but it is also set to be compatible with 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Such capabilities will allow Rolls-Royce to be at the forefront of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the aviation sector.
These Airlines Changed Their Boeing 787 Engines From Rolls-Royce To GE: Here’s Why
While around 34% of the Dreamliners flying today have RR engines, only around 8% of the known engine option orders are for RR engines.
Will The Shift Towards General Electric Have Drawbacks?
As has been seen, the GEnx-1B is a preferable choice for a huge number of 787 operators. This engine is more reliable and efficient, leading to more profitable services that depart on time. These strengths have led some airlines that previously received Rolls-Royce-powered 787s to opt for purchasing new aircraft with General Electric engines.
This decision will come at a substantial cost for carriers, as many will need to invest in new maintenance infrastructure to keep their General Electric-powered aircraft in the skies. However, this engine also has its drawbacks that may leave some airlines regretting their decision to shift towards the General Electric engine. The primary concern is that some airlines have experienced performance drops when operating in high temperatures.
Such issues can cause airlines to struggle when operating in particularly warm climates, such as the deserts of the Middle East. General Electric has been working to overcome the difficulties of operating in such environments by undertaking 400 hours of ‘sandstorm’ testing in 2020. On this front, GEnx Engineering Leader Shawn Pearson concluded that:
“These tests are specifically conducted for operators and our direct customers who use their aircraft in areas of the world that we technically call ‘Severe Operating Environment’ or SOE: desert areas, such as Africa and the Middle East, or regions affected by certain environmental phenomena that spread sand or dust. Sand can degrade the cooling muscle in our hot section components, like combustors, but also turbines, and create distress in protective coatings, accelerating hardware damage and leading to early engine removals.
