Riyadh Air, a new airline from Saudi Arabia, has signed a deal with GE Aerospace for 90 GEnx-1B engines to power its new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The agreement also includes spare engines and a TrueChoice services agreement. The deal was signed at the Paris Air Show, and it marks the first engine partnership for Riyadh Air. The first deliveries of the GEnx-1B engines are scheduled for early 2025.
The GEnx engine family is the fastest-selling, high-thrust engine in GE history, and it has nearly 50 million flight hours since its entry into service in 2011. The GEnx-1B powers two out of every three 787 aircraft in service. The GEnx engine provides a 1.4% fuel burn savings for the typical 787 mission compared to its competition, equating to $300,000 per airplane per year in fuel savings. The added fuel savings enable more than 2 million fewer pounds of CO2 per aircraft annually.
Riyadh Air is a disruptive new airline that is aiming to fly to more than 100 destinations by 2030. The airline will use the GEnx engines to power its long-haul flights, and it is expected to be one of the most sustainable airlines in the world.
The GEnx engine is a perfect fit for Riyadh Air's vision for long international routes. The engine's combination of power and ability to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will help the airline to achieve its sustainability goals.