GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio (a Cincinnati suburb). GE Aviation is the top supplier of aircraft engines in the world and offers engines for the majority of commercial aircraft. GE Aviation is part of GE Infrastructure, itself a major part of the conglomerate General Electric, one of the world's largest corporations. The division operated under the former name of General Electric Aircraft Engines or GEAE until September of 2005.
In 1942, General Electric developed the first US jet engine in Lynn, Massachusetts. It continues to make jet engines for the United States Department of Defense and subsidiary services. Engines assembled at this plant include the F404, F414, T700, and CFE738 military power plants. The plant at Lynn also produces the CT7 commercial turboprop power plant and commercial versions of the T700 (also CT7).
The Evendale plant conducts final assembly for the CFM International's CFM56, CF6, as well as LM6000, and LM2500 power plants.
The Durham, North Carolina facility conducts final assembly for the GE90 and CF34 power plants. Crucial parts for these engines are crafted in secondary GEAE facilities, such as those in Bromont, Quebec; Hooksett, New Hampshire; Wilmington, North Carolina; Madisonville, Kentucky and Rutland, Vermont; where the engine blades and vanes are manufactured.
GE Aviation's main competitors in the engine market are Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney. Snecma has significant interests in the GE Aviation civil engine range - having an equal share of CFM International which was established thirty years ago and major stake holdings in other engine families. GE Aviation is also a partner with Honda Motor Company in the GE Honda joint venture.
Then-GEAE (and competitor Rolls-Royce) were selected by Boeing to power its new 787. GE Aviation's offering is the GEnx, a development of the GE90. GE Aviation also has two-year exclusivity on the Boeing 747-8.
Smiths Group and General Electric announced on January 15, 2007 that the former was divesting Smiths Aerospace to the latter for £G2.4 billion (US$ 4.8 billion). "blank">Smiths To Sell Aerospace Ops To GE For $4.8B." McGrath, S.; Stone, R. _The Wall Street Journal. January 15, 2007. Smiths Aerospace, which is an important supplier, will become an operating subsidiary of GE Aviation. This will reportedly give the combined unit the clout to resist pricing pressures from its two largest customers, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and EADS Airbus. Analysts further assert that it will enable General Electric to acquire assets similar to those which it desired in its failed bid for Honeywell in 2000. GE Aviation closed the transaction on May 4, 2007.
