Engines
Damning Senate 737 Max Report Also Cites GE9X Concerns
The scope of a new report on 737 Max problems from the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee extends to the GE9X engine for the 777X.
The GE9X engines that power the still-under-development 777X gained certification in September 2020. (Photo: David McIntosh)
The GE9X engines that power the still-under-development 777X gained certification in September 2020. (Photo: David McIntosh)

A report issued Monday by the U.S. Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee into conflicts of interest between the FAA and Boeing during the certification of the 737 Max airliner exposed similar undue pressure brought to bear on production staff working on GE Aviation’s GE9X, the engine that powers the new 777X widebody. One of seven “whistleblowers” named in the report, former GE Aviation engineer Richard Kucera, described finding himself in an untenable situation in which he held responsibility for conducting engine conformity tests on behalf of the FAA while GE charged him with preparing the engines for the same tests.