Airliner picks GEnx engines

Germany's second largest airline, airberlin, chose the GEnx-1B engine to power its fleet of 15 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for which orders are confirmed. The airline also signed a 12-year agreement to cover the maintenance, repair and overhaul of its GEnx engines in a deal valued at more than $1.2 billion over the life of the contract. The GEnx-1B engine entered service in April with Japan Airlines and has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours and close to 900 cycles. More than 800 GEnx-1B engines have been sold to more than 25 customers. (Source: GE Aviation, 07/10/12) Gulf Coast note: GE Aviation's plant in Batesville, Miss., makes composite fan stator, acoustic panels and fan platforms for GE90 engines and composite fan platforms and fan cases for GEnx engines. Its Ellisville plant, near Hattiesburg, Miss., will build advanced composite components for jet engines and the plant in Auburn, Ala., will make precision machined parts for commercial and military engines.