FARNBOROUGH, England – July 22, 2024 – GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) and Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier of Türkiye, have signed a combined engines sales and TrueChoice Flight Hour agreement for 8 GE90-110B engines to power four Turkish Cargo Boeing 777 Freighters.
Turkish Airlines Chief Investment and Strategy Officer Levent Konukcu commented, "This agreement marks a significant milestone in our strategic partnership with GE Aerospace. The addition of GE90-110B engines will enhance the efficiency of our cargo fleet, reinforcing our position as one of the top three air cargo carriers globally. As Turkish Cargo continues to grow and strengthen its home base, İstanbul, as a leading logistics hub, these advanced engines will be very beneficial in achieving our goals."
“Since its launch in 1990, GE Aerospace has delivered more than 3,000 GE90 engines to customers around the world,” said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, Commercial Engines & Services for GE Aerospace. “With a reliability rate of 99.98% and lower noise, emissions, and fuel consumption, the GE90 has become an iconic engine. We are pleased to be supporting the expansion of the cargo capabilities of Turkish Airlines with this agreement.”
Turkish Airlines operates a young and growing fleet of 456 aircraft, flying to over 340 destinations worldwide – making it the largest airline in terms of countries served. Turkish Cargo has been carrying out the air cargo transportation operations of Turkish Airlines since 1933, offering service to more than 130 countries. This most recent addition to their fleet will support the organization’s goal of doubling the amount of cargo tonnage it carries by 2033, and further reinforcing Istanbul as a global logistics hub.
The GE90 was the first commercial engine with composite fan blades for double the strength at one-third the weight of traditional titanium fan blades – now a hallmark on GE Aerospace’s widebody engines. It was also the first engine to receive FAA approval for an additive manufactured compressor sensor.
GE Aerospace has continued to invest and improve the engine, enhancing its compressor, combustor, and high- and low-pressure turbine components to reduce weight, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance durability. This has resulted in:
- 3.6% reduction in fuel burn from initial launch specification
- 60% improvement in time on wing
- World-class 99.98% reliability rate
GE Aerospace has been a committed partner to Türkiye for nearly 60 years. With offices and facilities located in Istanbul, Ankara, and Gebze, GE Aerospace's 440+ employees support an installed base of more than 2,300 commercial and defense engines across the country. The highly skilled engineers at the Türkiye Technology Center also contribute to GE Aerospace’s global engineering work on new engine programs, software development, and additive manufacturing, supporting the country’s position as an advanced aerospace hub.