World's biggest jet engine takes to the skies: Prototype that will power Boeing's 406 seat 777X 'megaplane' flies for the first time
- A Boeing 747 test aircraft flew from Victorville, California, with the GE9X engine mounted under its left wing
- The 100,000 pound thrust engine has the largest front fan in the world at 134 inches in diameter, GE says
- Boeing asked General Electric to develop an engine strong enough to power its 777X aircraft family
- GE9X is expected to fly under its own power next year ahead of a planned maiden commercial flight in 2020
Incredible footage has revealed the moment that the world's biggest jet engine took to the skies for the first time, ahead of its planned maiden commercial flight in 2020.
The huge GE9X powerplant, which is as wide and tall as the fuselage of a Boeing 737, is being built for the latest version of the firm's long-haul 777, the 777X 'megaplane'.
General Electric has now begun flight trials of the prototype, after delays caused by technical problems stopped tests originally planned for late last year.
The GE9X was attached to the plane alongside smaller engines to allow engineers to put it through the motions of flight without risking the safety of passengers onboard.
It features a massive fan stretching 134 inches in diameter, more than 11 feet, and fits into a 14-and-a-half-foot nacelle.
Incredible footage has revealed the moment that the world's biggest jet engine took to the skies for the first time, ahead of its planned maiden commercial flight in 2020. A special Boeing 747 test aircraft flew from Victorville, California, with the new GE9X engine mounted under its left wing, dwarfing the plane's three other engines
A special Boeing 747 test aircraft flew from Victorville, California, for four hours with the new GE9X engine mounted under its left wing, dwarfing the plane's three other engines.
The flight marks the beginning of a test campaign scheduled to last several months, before the aircraft itself takes to the skies under its own power in the first quarter of next year.
The engine will eventually power the 777X, a plane that will have the widest wingspan of any aircraft: 235 feet, five inches (71.8 metres), making it wider than four 53-foot (16-metre) semi-truck trailers parked end to end.
It is so big, Boeing has developed hinges on its wingtips. The hinges will fold up, allowing the plane to shorten its wingspan when it's rolling across airport taxiways, the first design of its kind on any commercial airliner.
The hinged wingtips will measure 12 feet, and locking pins will prevent them from folding during flight, Boeing told CNN.
Inside, the 777-9X will seat at least 400 passengers, 34 more than the 777-9X's competitor - the Airbus A350-1000.
The 777-9X cabin will be 16 inches (40 centimeters) wider than the A350-1000, Boeing says, allowing economy-class seat widths up to 18 inches (46 centimeters).
The huge powerplant, which is as wide and tall as the fuselage of a Boeing 737, is being built for the latest version of the firm's long-haul 777, the 777X. During the flight, engineers completed their test list and ensured key characteristics were working properly, GE said in a statement
While the gigantic motor was not used to provide powered flight on this occasion, the successful test represents a big step towards that goal. The flight marks the beginning of a flight-test campaign scheduled to last several months, before the aircraft itself takes to the skies in the first quarter of next year
GE had been expected to start flight trials in December, but announced in February it had found technical problems with both the engine and the test plane during preparatory work. The engine glitch will require the redesign of a part in the compressor, which is near the front of the engine and does not handle the hottest air flows
'The GE9X and Victorville teams have spent months preparing for flight testing of the engine, and their efforts paid off today with a picture-perfect first flight,' added Ted Ingling, general manager of the GE9X program at GE Aviation.
'Today's flight starts the beginning of the GE9X flight test campaign that will last for several months, allowing us to accumulate data on how the engine performs at altitude and during various phases of flight.'
WHAT IS THE BOEING 777X?
It is set to be the biggest passenger plane ever seen - with a wingspan so big the tips have to be folded up so it can fit into airports.
The 777X series was launched in November 2013 with two variants, the 777-8X and the larger 777-9X.
The Boeing 777-9X will be the largest and most efficient twin-engine jet in the world, the aerospace giant claims.
Around 320 have already been ordered, the firm says, and will feature a wider cabin and bigger windows than even the firm's 787 Dreamliner.
It is set to be the biggest passenger plane ever seen - with a wingspan so big the tips have to be folded up so it can fit into airports. The 777X series was launched in November 2013 with two variants, the 777-8X and the larger 777-9X
The plane will have the widest wingspan of any aircraft: 235 feet, five inches (71.8 metres), making it wider than four 53-foot (16-metre) semi-truck trailers parked end to end.
It is so big, Boeing has developed hinges on its wingtips. The hinges will fold up, allowing the plane to shorten its wingspan when it's rolling across airport taxiways, the first design of its kind on any commercial airliner.
The hinged wingtips will measure 12 feet, and locking pins will prevent them from folding during flight, Boeing told CNN.
Inside, the 777-9X will seat at least 400 passengers, 34 more than the 777-9X's competitor - the Airbus A350-1000.
The 777-9X cabin will be 16 inches (40 centimeters) wider than the A350-1000, Boeing says, allowing economy-class seat widths up to 18 inches (46 centimeters).
Typical airline seat widths range from 17 to 18.5 inches (43 to 47 centimeters).
The 777-9X's windows will also be 15% larger than competing airliners, Boeing says, and placed at a height that will be eye level for most
'Building on the success of the 777 and 787 Dreamliner, the 777X will be the largest and most efficient twin-engine jet in the world, unmatched in every aspect of performance,' Boeing says.
'However, performance is just part of the story.
'The cabin interior of the 777X is inspired by the comforts and conveniences of the 787 Dreamliner and includes larger windows, a wider cabin, new lighting and enhanced architecture — all of which will be custom-tailored for a unique 777X experience.
'The 777X is the future of flight unfolding.
'That's a better way to fly.' 
The engine that will power Boeing’s new 777X aircraft took to the air around 10.:40 am Pacific standard time (1.40 pm ET / 5.30 pm GMT) on Tuesday and flew for more than four hours
Certification testing of the GE9X engine began in May 2017 and recently completed icing tests at GE Aviation’s facility in Winnipeg, Canada
The GE9X is in the 100,000 pound thrust class and the firm has received more than 700 requests for the engines, valued at $29 million (£19 m). The record breaking engine was first fired for the first time in April, 2016
Ted Ingling, general manager of the GE9X program at GE Aviation, said: 'The GE9X and Victorville teams have spent months preparing for flight testing of the engine, and their efforts paid off today with a picture-perfect first flight. It starts the beginning of the GE9X flight test campaign that will last for several months, allowing us to accumulate data'
The GE9X is in the 100,000 pound thrust class and the firm has received more than 700 requests for the engines, valued at $29 million (£19 m).
The record breaking engine was first fired for the first time in April, 2016.
WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 'WORLD'S LARGEST JET ENGINE' THE GE9X?
Boeing asked General Electric to develop an engine strong enough to power its 777X aircraft family, a new version of the 777 'mini-jumbo' with up to 406 seats.
It will have the largest front fan in the world, GE says, at 134 inches (11 feet) in diameter, while its inlet duct measures 18 feet (215 inches) by 12 feet (145 inches).
Ultra heat-resistant materials known as ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in the combustor and turbine can operate at temperatures up to 1,300°C (2,400°F).
Boeing asked General Electric to develop an engine strong enough to power its 777X aircraft family, a new version of the 777 'mini-jumbo' with up to 406 seats. It will have the largest front fan in the world, GE says, at 134 inches (11 feet) in diameter, while its inlet duct measures 18 feet (215 inches) by 12 feet (145 inches)
This allows the firm's engineers to keep the heat higher inside the engine, without having to burn through fuel or emissions.
The advancement in 3D printing has also contributed to this cutting-edge engine, by allowing engineers to create more complex shapes, which were once impossible - including 3D printed fuel nozzles.
The new GE9X engine has 16 fourth-generation carbon-fibre fan blades at the front of the engine and feed air to the 11-stage high-pressure compressor. According to the firm, no other commercial engine has a pressure ration (27:1) that's higher.
Engineers also installed a fourth fuel tank to keep the engine from going thirsty.
Although GE9X has an impressive thrust generator of 100,000, the engine's predecessor, the GE90-115B, holds the record of 127,500 pounds. Testing of the engine was seen as a critical step towards development of the 777X aircraft family, a new version of the 777 'mini-jumbo'.
Boeing asked GE to develop an engine strong enough to power its 777X jet, which then prompted other airlines, including Emirates, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways, to place an order.
It will have the largest front fan in the world, GE says, at 134 inches (11 feet) in diameter, while its inlet duct measures 18 feet (215 inches) by 12 feet (145 inches).
Dubbed the largest jet engine in the world, GE9X's front fans span 11 feet in diameter, its inlet duct measures 18 feet by 12 feet and can generate 100,000 pounds of thrust. This massive engine is the first working prototype that was developed to power Boeing's 777X aircraft and is was first tested at the firm's boot camp for engines near Peebles, OhioUltra heat-resistant materials known as ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in the combustor and turbine can operate at temperatures up to 1,300°C (2,400°F).
This allows the firm's engineers to keep the heat higher inside the engine, without having to burn through fuel or emissions.
'The hotter the engine gets, the more efficient it is,' said GE Aviation spokesman Rick Kennedy in a statement.
The advancement in 3D printing has also contributed to this cutting-edge engine, by allowing engineers to create more complex shapes, which were once impossible -- including 3D printed fuel nozzles.
'These tunnels and caves are a closely guarded secret,' said Kennedy.
'They determine how the fuel moves through the nozzle and sprays inside the combustion chamber.'
Currently the largest turbofan jet engine being produced by Rolls Royce, GE's main competitor. The Trent XWB-97 is a three-shaft turbofan jet engine with a fan diameter of ten feet (120 inches) and can produce up to 97,000lb of thrust.
Rolls Royce has already tested its enormous Trent XWB-97 engine (pictured) in flight. With a fan diametre of almost ten feet it can produce 97,000lb of thrust during take-off
These are being developed for the long-range Airbus A350-1000 Dreamliner passenger jets and has already been tested in the air on an aircraft.
GE itself also produces the GE90, which has an overall diameter of 11 feet (132 inches) and can generate 93,700lb of thrust. It is currently used on the Boeing 777.
In the new GE9X engine, however, there are 16 fourth-generation carbon-fibre fan blades at the front of the engine and feed air to the 11-stage high-pressure compressor. According to the firm, no other commercial engine has a pressure ration (27:1) that's higher.
Engineers also installed a fourth fuel tank to keep the engine from going thirsty.
'We also upgraded our engine hoists and transporters to handle the GE9X and modified a wall in our prep building so the engine can be moved after final assembly to make its way to the test stand,' said Brian DeBruin, plant manager for GE Aviation's Peebles Test Operation.
This is the first time the firm has powered the entire engine. It hass been testing the components individually for years.
'Due to the significant amount of new technologies in the GE9X, we planned the testing program differently,' says GE9X program leader Chuck Jackson.
'The early testing informed the design and manufacturing and allowed us to freeze the product definition and test the total engine as soon as possible.'
Although GE9X has an impressive thrust generator of 100,000, the engine's predecessor, the GE90-115B, holds the record of 127,500 pounds.
Approximately $10 million has been invested by GE to prepare its Peebles Testing Operation for the world's largest engine. Testing for the first GE9X began in April 2016 and GE Aviation continued trials for several months in order to verify aerodynamic, thermal and mechanical characteristics of the engine
Not only has GE built the world's largest jet engine, it built the world's first American Jet engine in 1942.
The J31 was the first jet engine to be mass-produced in the United States.
It had a maximum thrust of 1,650 pounds and weighed 850 lbs (385 kg) with an rpm of 16,500.
The J31 was developed from the original American-built jet engine, the General Electric I-A (which was a copy of the highly-secret British 'Whittle' engine).
The I-A powered the early test flights of the U.S.'s first jet aircraft, the Bell XP-59A Airacomet, and the more powerful J31 was used in production P-59As and P-59Bs.
There are 16 fourth-generation carbon-fibre fan blades in the design that are at the front of the engine and feed air to the 11-stage high-pressure compressor. According to the firm, no other commercial engine has a pressure ration (27:1) that's higher. GE has been testing the new design for the GE9X carbon fibre blades on a scaled-down testing rig at Boeing (pictured)
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