University of Central Missouri
GE90-115B
People say that there is no such thing as magic, and they are correct. That is why the credit for manned flight goes to science. However, one starts to wonder whenever someone finds that a single engine is able to keep a Boeing 747 aloft for over four hours. With the rate that technology has advanced in the prior 100 years, the possibilities for development of new aircraft powerplants are unlimited. One of the most recent milestones in aircraft powerplant design is General Electric’s GE90-115B, which is rumored to be one of the most popular, most fuel-efficient, most powerful, and one of the quietest engines that have been built to date (Eisenstein, 2004).With the level of technology that the GE90-115B has to offer the aviation industry, it is clear that there will be a high demand for it throughout the years to come. To grasp an understanding of this monstrosity of an engine, one must know the history of the engine, the construction of the engine, operation of the engine, emergency procedures, and the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. By the end of this report readers will be familiarized with the most sophisticated transport-class jet engine in the world.
History
Everyone knows that the Wright Brothers were credited with the first controlled flight back in 1903. Little does anyone know, however, that future advances in aircraft engines were a result of military actions that took place during World War I and World War II. During World War I and II, generation one fighters operated on typical piston engines, and at the peak of World War two, achieved speeds of up to 400 miles per hour as in the case of the P-51 Mustang (The History Channel, 2008). However, the close of World War II called for a more subtle solution to aerial combat, known as generation two fighters, or jet-propelled fighters. Credit for the development of the jet engine goes to both Dr. Hans von Ohain of
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