Engines
GE Starts Testing GE9X Fan Blades, Compressor
GE Aviation plans to start testing a GE9X high-pressure compressor at the GE Oil & Gas facility in Massa, Italy, this month. (Photo: GE Aviation)
GE Aviation plans to start testing a GE9X high-pressure compressor at the GE Oil & Gas facility in Massa, Italy, this month. (Photo: GE Aviation)

GE Aviation started testing its fourth-generation composite fan blades for the new GE9X turbofan, the company announced last week. Chosen to power the Boeing 777X, the 100,000-pound-thrust-class engine promises a 10-percent fuel burn improvement over the GE90-115B–the engine that powers the Boeing 777-300ER.