GE Aviation history

In 1937, as Hitler’s power was growing, GE received a large order from the United States Army Air Corps to build turbosuperchargers for Boeing B-17 and Consolidated B-24 bombers, P-38 fighter planes, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and other planes.

In 1940, Moss became the first GE engineer to receive the prestigious Collier Trophy for "outstanding success in high altitude flying by the development of the turbo supercharger."

In 1941, the United States Army Air Corps picked GE's Lynn, Massachusetts, plant to build a jet engine based on the design of Britain's Sir Frank Whittle.

Six months later, on April 18, 1942, GE's engineers successfully ran their I-A engine—the first jet engine to operate in the United States.

Two years later, in June 1944, the Air Corps' first operational fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, flew powered by a J33/I-40 engine rated at 4,000 pounds (17,793 newtons) thrust.

Development funds were allotted in 1946 for a more powerful version of the same design, the TG-190.

The J33 powered the first United States Army Air Corps' first operational jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star, to a world's speed record of 620 miles per hour in 1947.

GE selected a federally owned plant near Cincinnati, where Wright Aeronautical piston engines had been produced during World War II. GE formally opened the plant on February 28, 1949, with the second J47 production line, to complement the original line at Lynn.

In 1951, GE announced that the Evendale plant would be one of the world's truly great jet engine centers in peace and war.

In 1952, GE's chief of engine development Gerhard Neumann began developing the J79 turbojet engine.

In 1954, the Evendale manufacturing complex, virtually empty just six years earlier, was designated as GE's production facility for large jet engines while its sister plant in Lynn, Massachusetts, focused on developing and producing small jet engines.

Further development of the J47 by Patrick Clarke in 1957 led to the J73, and from there into the much more powerful J79.

The GE and Lockheed team that developed the J79 and the F-104 Mach 2 fighter aircraft received the 1958 Collier Trophy for outstanding technical achievement in aviation.

In 1959, GE introduced the LM1500, a derivative of the very successful J79.

GE introduced the T64 free-turbine turboshaft/turboprop engine in 1964, featuring technical innovations such as corrosion resistant and high-temperature coatings that contributed to the development of very heavy lift helicopters.

In 1968, GE launched the LM2500, a nominal 20,000-shaft-horsepower gas turbine based on the TF39 engine.

Motorlet begins development of the M601A turboprop engine to enter into service in L410 aircraft in 1973.

In 1974 GE entered into an agreement with Snecma of France, forming CFM International to jointly produce a new mid-sized turbofan, which emerged as the CFM56.

The company received its first order in 1979, when the CFM56-2 turbofan engine was selected to re-engine DC-8 Series 60 aircraft, renamed Super 70s.

In a landmark 1981 decision, Boeing selected the CFM56-3 turbofan to power the popular Boeing 737-300/400/500 “Classic” series aircraft.

The aircraft launches in 1989, but after series of tests the development of this engine is terminated.

Launched in 1990, the GE90 engine is GE Aviation’s first engine in the 100,000 pound thrust class and became the most technologically advanced commercial turbofan engine in 25 years.

In 1992, the CF34-3 was introduced on the highly successful Bombardier 50-passenger CRJ100 and CRJ200 regional airliners.

The CFM56-7, powerplant for the Boeing Next-Generation 737-600/-700/-800/-900 series, the best-selling Boeing 737 family yet, was launched in late 1993.

In 1995, the company made history when the first engine equipped with a double annular combustor (DAC), the CFM56-5B, entered commercial service with Swissair.

The Alliance, which was formed in August 1996, is incorporating some of the newest jet propulsion technology in commercial aviation today.

CFM56 Project TECH56, a technology acquisition program launched in 1998, is advancing technology significantly for retrofit into existing engines, as well as serving as the basis for potential new and derivative CFM56 engines.

In July 1999, The Boeing Company selected the GE90-115B derivative engine as the exclusive engine for their longer-range 777-200LR and -300ER aircraft, in one of the most significant wins in GE' history.

Analysts further assert that it enables General Electric to acquire assets similar to those it desired in its failed bid for Honeywell in 2000.

In May 2001, Air France launched the advanced GP7200 engine on the new Airbus A380-800.

Today, GE Transportation's aircraft engines division, with revenues of $10.97 billion in 2003, designs, develops, and manufactures jet engines for a broad spectrum of military and commercial aircraft as well as aero derivative gas turbines for marine applications.

In addition, as part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Team's F136 development engine is progressing, marked by the first full engine tests in 2004.

The division operated under the former name of General Electric Aircraft Engines or GEAE until September of 2005.

The first full engine will go to test in 2006.

Smiths Group and General Electric announced on January 15, 2007, that the former was divesting Smiths Aerospace to the latter for GBP£2.4 billion (US$ 4.8 billion). GE Aviation closed the transaction on May 4, 2007.

In July 2008, governments in the Persian Gulf reached agreements with GE to expand engine maintenance operations there.

The first flight of both the 787 and 747-8 aircraft occurred in 2010.

Due to US Government fiscal challenges and DoD budget cuts, Congress made the decision in 2011 to discontinue funding development of the F136 and the program was cancelled after about 80% completion.

On December 23, 2012, GE announced that it has agreed to purchase the aviation business of Avio S.p.A., an Italy-based manufacturer of aviation propulsion components and systems for civil and military aircraft, for $4.3 billion United States (EUR3.3 billion).

Then in 2013, building upon the GE90-115B success, GE launched the GE9X engine as the sole engine for the new Boeing 777X aircraft.

Building on the strength of its design capabilities for high performance combat aircraft engines, GE successfully completed testing the world’s first adaptive, three-stream engine in 2014 through the Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) program with the United States Air Force Research Lab.

In 2015, GE won the contract for the Boeing 777X’s electrical loan management system, backup generator, and the backup converter.

Also in 2016, GE Aviation consolidated its growing digital services under a single business called GE Aviation, Digital Solutions.

In 2017, GE celebrated 25 years powering regional jets with more than 6,500 CF34 engines delivered.

GE’s next-generation military portfolio also includes the T901 turboshaft (downselected by the United States government in 2019) now under development, and also, the T408 turboshaft for heavy lift missions of the new Sikorsky CH-53 King Stallion for the United States Marine Corps.