The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever built, thanks in part to its advanced composite design and fuel-efficient engines. Airlines have a choice between two powerplants for the Dreamliner: the General Electric GEnx-1B and the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. These engines not only shape performance and maintenance strategies but also influence operational costs and fleet commonality.
Why Two Engine Options?
Much like the Airbus A380, the Boeing 787 comes with dual engine supplier options. Airlines typically select engines based on factors such as existing fleet compatibility, fuel efficiency, and maintenance programs. For instance, Air Canada standardized on GE’s GEnx engines across all its 787 variants for consistency and logistical efficiency.
Boeing 787 Family Overview
| Variant | Passengers (2-class) | Range (nm) | Engine Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| 787-8 | 248 | 7,305 | GEnx-1B / Trent 1000 |
| 787-9 | 296 | 7,565 | GEnx-1B / Trent 1000 |
| 787-10 | 336 | 6,330 | GEnx-1B / Trent 1000 |
As of late 2024, over 2,000 Dreamliners have been ordered, with the 787-9 proving most popular. Of those ordered, GEnx engines power two-thirds of Dreamliners currently in service.
General Electric GEnx-1B: The Popular Favorite
The GEnx is General Electric’s best-selling widebody jet engine. It’s built on proven technologies from the GE90 and powers both the 787 and the 747-8. GE’s GEnx boasts a 99.98% dispatch rate, advanced composite fan blades, and a 10-stage high-pressure compressor for improved fuel efficiency and durability.
Key Specs:
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Thrust: 69,800–76,100 lbs
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Fan Diameter: 111.1 inches
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Bypass Ratio: 8.0–9.0
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Dry Weight: 13,552 lbs
The GEnx engine has secured 640 of 891 Dreamliner orders since 2017, highlighting a strong post-2016 preference for GE. Thai Airways’ recent order of 45 787-9s—all equipped with GEnx—further underscores this trend.
Rolls-Royce Trent 1000: Innovative, But Troubled
First run in 2006 and flown in 2007, the Trent 1000 offers impressive fuel efficiency with a 10:1 bypass ratio, the highest in the Trent series. Rolls-Royce claims the engine contributes to the Dreamliner being 20% more fuel efficient than its predecessor, the Boeing 767.
However, the Trent 1000 has faced significant issues. A corrosion-induced cracking problem in intermediate-pressure turbine blades, discovered in 2016, grounded as many as 44 aircraft and cost Rolls-Royce over $1.5 billion to resolve.
Key Specs:
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Thrust: 64,100–74,400 lbs
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Fan Diameter: 112 inches
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Bypass Ratio: 10:1
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Mass: 13,087–13,492 lbs
Despite its early popularity, post-2016 Trent 1000 orders plummeted to just 96, compared to GE’s 640.
Market Share & Manufacturer Backgrounds
Rolls-Royce
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Founded: 1915
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Market Share: ~12% overall, ~33% of widebody aircraft in service
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Key Products: Trent 1000, Trent XWB (exclusive to A350), UltraFan (in development)
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Future Plans: Aiming for a return to narrowbody engines and continued innovation in widebody technology
General Electric (GE Aerospace)
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Founded: Early 1900s (aircraft engine division)
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Market Share: ~52% of current widebody aircraft, 54% of engines on order
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Key Products: GEnx, GE90, GE9X (exclusive to upcoming 777X)
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Partnerships: Co-produces the LEAP engine with Safran for narrowbodies
Impact on the A380 and Future Aircraft
The performance improvements of the GEnx and Trent engines are part of what made four-engine giants like the Airbus A380 commercially unviable. As Airbus execs have admitted, the rapid engine advancements from GE and Rolls-Royce blindsided the A380 program.
These engines helped the 787 reduce fuel burn by up to 25% compared to older aircraft. The rise of efficient twinjets like the 787 and A350—both powered by advanced turbofans—ushered in a new era of long-haul aviation.
Final Thoughts
While GE’s GEnx has emerged as the more widely adopted engine for the 787 Dreamliner, the Trent 1000 remains in service and has undergone significant reliability improvements. Both engines have played a pivotal role in transforming long-haul air travel, and their competition continues to drive innovation in the widebody engine market.
With Rolls-Royce and General Electric now the only contenders in the widebody space, the engine rivalry is likely to persist well into the next generation of aircraft.
