747’s new GEnx engine revs up 200 new jobs in Maryland

The thrust reverser for the new GEnx-2B may be the brakes of the jet engine, but it’s the accelerator when it comes to jobs in Maryland. GE Aviation just announced that it’s adding 200 new high-tech manufacturing jobs that will work on that critical component at its Middle River Aircraft Systems unit. It’s part of GE’s move to ramp up production to meet the needs of the advanced engine that will power Boeing’s giant new 747-8 freighter — which is the biggest plane Boeing has ever built.

Fly me! In February, the GEnx-powered Boeing 747-8 flew for three and a half hours in the first flight that took off from Boeing’s Paine Field outside of Seattle, Washington. At 250 feet long, it’s about 18 feet longer than the existing 747-400 jumbo jet. In March, the second and third 747-8 test planes also took to the air.

The new jobs bring GE’s employment at its Middle River facility to more than 1,000 over the next year. In the last five years, GE has invested more than $200 million in the Middle River facility and new program investments.

The jobs news comes on the heels of last week’s GE Energy announcement that it was on track to add 400 jobs in Atlanta, Georgia for its new Smart Grid Technology Center – with more than 150 of those jobs having been filled in the last six months. And last month, GE Aviation announced it was adding another 220 jobs in Michigan to support the development and manufacturing of advanced jet engines and avionics systems. The Michigan jobs bring the total number of new GE jobs being added in the state to over 1,300 over the next five years.

Powering up: “U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, said, “Today’s announcement was about jobs, jobs, jobs…. The old saying goes, a country that doesn’t make something, can’t make something of itself. In order to return to a strong economy that creates jobs, we have to have more manufacturing like the kind we saw today at the Middle River Aircraft Systems plant.” Pictured, from left are: Gene Hans, president UAW 738, Senator Mikulski, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and Sagar Patel, president of Mechanical Systems for GE Aviation.

Plane good news: “We have an 80-year lineage in Baltimore and have a great partnership with Maryland. We want to accelerate our growth in the State,” said Sagar Patel, president, Mechanical Systems for GE Aviation.

The GEnx uses a carbon composite structure in the engine’s fan blades and fan case, which substantially reduces weight and makes the engines more efficient. The GEnx-2B-powered 747-8 Freighter will be delivered to its first customer, Cargolux, in the fourth quarter of this year. Boeing is also developing a passenger version, called the 747-8 Intercontinental, which seats 51 more passengers than its predeccesor. Assembly of the first passenger version began on May 8 at Boeing’s factory in Everett, Wash.

Production rates for all of the GEnx engines, which includes the model being made for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, will be about 100 engines this year and then doubling to 200 in 2011. The GEnx-1B engine will be taking its first flight powering Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner later this month.

Part of GE’s ecomagination portfolio, the GEnx-2B engine will offer customers a 13 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, which translates into 13 percent less CO₂ emissions. The GEnx will also dramatically reduce NOx gases as much as 60 percent below today’s regulatory limits and other regulated gases as much as 90 percent. The new engine is one of the quietest engines GE has produced with noise levels about 30 percent lower.

* Read the announcement
* Visit the facility’s website to learn about career opportunities
* Read “American Renewal: Immelt addresses Detroit Econ Club” on GE Reports
* See the GEnx engine debut at 2009 Paris Air Show
* Watch Part 1 of GE's series: Born to run: Building the GEnx jet engine
* Watch Part 2 of GE's series: In the factory: Building the GEnx jet engine
* Watch Part 3 of GE's series: The right stuff: Building the GEnx jet engine
* Watch all of the videos in the series
* Learn more about the GEnx and ecomagination