CHICAGO, July 16 - GE Aerospace’s chief executive, Larry Culp, on Thursday sought to allay worries that delays in GEnx engine deliveries could slow Boeing’s planned increase in 787 production, pointing to a marked rise in recent shipments of widebody engines.
Culp said that overall deliveries of widebody engines climbed 30% from a year earlier in the second quarter, and that shipments of the GEnx had increased by "significantly more." He added that GE already has several months' worth of GEnx engines sitting on site at Boeing’s factory in Charleston, South Carolina.
"So, we don’t think we’re pacing deliveries whatsoever," Culp said.
Boeing leadership has warned that its objective of lifting 787 output to 10 aircraft per month, up from about eight, depends in part on GE resolving GEnx delivery issues and on easing constraints tied to premium-seat certifications. Culp acknowledged the need for continued delivery increases to keep pace with Boeing’s targeted higher production rates.
"GE will support and is supporting the 787 ramp," he said. "We’re highly motivated. We’re well aligned. There’s no debate there. We will be with them every step of the way."
The 787 program is a core one for GE: roughly 80% of 787s are powered by GE engines, making the model important to the engine maker as international demand for widebody aircraft increases.
When asked whether GEnx delivery delays had been resolved and if shipments would be even through the remainder of the year, Culp said GE would work closely with Boeing to meet its requirements as 787 production rises.
He also commented that the civil engine supply chain had "turned the corner," while noting that deliveries will need to continue increasing in the second half of the year and again next year to sustain higher production tempos.
This exchange highlights the operational coordination required between airframe manufacturers and engine suppliers as production rates climb, and underscores the importance of supply-chain momentum for widely used propulsion systems.