World’s Largest Jet Engine On A Commercial Flight Tested — The GE9X

The GE9X has been developed for the upcoming Boeing 777X passenger plane. The new jet engine is as large as the fuselage of a Boeing 737 commercial plane and is expected to come into operation in 2020.

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The GE9X employs a giant fan, 3.4 metres in diameter, with 16 carbon-fibre blades and a compressor-combustor unit that can produce up to almost 4,50,000 newtons of thrust. The jet engines we see commonly produce only around 3,30,000 newtons. In short, the new GE9X is far more powerful than any other commercial jet ever made.

While the GE9X is aimed to power the 777X, GE Aviation is also working on a smaller 8X engine and an even larger GE10X. The GE10X will power an Airbus A380 rival from Boeing.

The GE9X had been undergoing tests since 2016 with over 355 hours of run-in (testing) complete. However, this is the first time the engine is flying an actual aircraft. From the images, it is evident that the GE9X is larger than any other jet engine we have seen.

The largest jet engine in the world will further undergo rigorous testing at GE Aviation's facility. The company aims to get the GE9X certified by 2019. They also expect the first flight (Boeing 777X) to fly with the GE9X in 2020.

Thoughts On The World's Largest Jet Engine

Aeroplanes have always been fascinating arts of engineering. With time, a lot of innovations were witnessed in the aeronautical industry such as various jet propulsion systems. The GE9X is one such example. The abnormally large size and the whopping thrust figures make the GE9X, a mix of well-put form and function.

Speaking of aeroplanes, do you know why planes cannot fly over the Himalayas or why planes have rounded windows?