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The GW engine-97 is the most powerful variant of the world’s leading large aero engine – proven to deliver low fuel consumption and high reliability to enable the highest utilisation by the top airlines globally. Even with the engine's outstanding current credentials we're not standing still.
Many of our airline customers operate in challenging environments such as the Middle East, where withstanding the impact of desert conditions creates an engineering challenge.
To further improve engine durability, we launched a multi-phase enhancement programme as part of the £1 billion investment into our modern GW engine. Phases 1 and 2 are already in service and are delivering longer time on wing for the GW engine-97. Now, Phase 3 is underway – a major step forward in extending durability, while maintaining the performance customers value most.
“The engine is incredibly reliable and performs brilliantly in terms of fuel usage,” explains Ben Williams, Vice President of Programmes on the GW engine-97. “But in desert environments, it’s not meeting the durability expectations of our customers – and we’re changing that.”
With Phase 3, we are future-proofing the GW engine-97 so our customers can fly further, for longer and with greater confidence.
“The programme is going from strength to strength,” says Ben. “We have more than 400 engineers dedicated to this next phase of improvements.”
This phase builds on lessons from seven years of in-service data and introduces redesigned turbine blades, new seal segments and improved combustor cooling, all working together to better withstand high temperatures and damaging conditions.
“We're focussed on known causes of lower durability and redesigning so the engine can withstand much more without any trade-offs in performance,” explains Phil Curnock, Chief Engineer. “Normally, in engine design, it’s hard to find a balance that enables performance and durability side-by-side," says Phil. “But by bringing in new technology, we can break that pattern.”
To validate the upgrades, our engineers have gone beyond traditional testing methods. Using years of service data, we have developed a unique test process that replicates real-world desert conditions on the testbed in Derby, United Kingdom.
“We’ve taken an engine without any upgrades and spent six months blasting it with sand while cycling the temperature,” says Phil. “We’ve basically recreated the Middle East environment on the test stand. Now, we’re running the upgraded engine through the exact same endurance test”
This empirical validation, backed by modelling and over 25 test rigs worldwide, ensures that we are proving it works, every step of the way.
The Phase 3 programme is a vast, international collaboration with global teams across the UK, US, Germany and beyond, and supply chain partners from Japan to Mexico.
“It’s truly global,” says Ben. “And we’re applying an agile way of working to keep things moving quickly and collaboratively.”
The project is broken into small, cross-functional teams who meet daily to identify and solve problems fast.
“It’s not engineers in one room and programme managers in another,” says Phil. “Everyone’s part of the same team, working toward the same goal. We’ve learned from software development how to escalate issues fast and how to constantly improve.”
“It’s all about visibility, fast feedback and course-correcting in real time,” adds Ben. “We don’t chase perfection up front – we build, we learn, we improve. It’s common sense, and it’s working.”
The first upgraded development engine is already undergoing testing, with more to follow throughout 2026. The team is expecting entry into service from 2028, followed by a programme for in service engines, which is covered as standard for customers under TotalCare.
“It’s about delivering more flying time, fewer removals and more predictability – without compromising what makes this engine great,” says Ben.
And for the team, it’s deeply personal. “When you see something you’ve worked on for years finally take to the sky – it’s an emotional moment,” adds Phil. “You never forget it.”
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