China reports cracks in GEnx blades for Boeing 787 — South China Morning Post

A Chinese study has reported premature damage to some high-pressure turbine blades in GE GEnx-1B engines installed on Boeing 787 aircraft. Cracks in individual parts may appear after approximately 1,000 flight cycles — one takeoff and landing — South China Morning Post reports.

Blade damage

The study’s author, Xia Xiaofeng of Xiamen Airlines, analyzed first-stage high-pressure turbine blades in Phase 2 and Phase 2+ versions of GEnx-1B engines. The study was published in the September issue of the Chinese industry journal Aviation Maintenance & Engineering.

According to the study, five engines were removed from service in the Boeing 787 fleet of an unnamed Chinese airline because of defects in such blades. In each case, material loss between cooling holes on the convex surface of the blades was recorded.

Xia noted that radial cracks usually occurred between the first and second, or the second and third, rows of cooling holes. They may subsequently spread and connect, causing metal fragments to separate from the blade. According to GE’s analysis cited in the study, the cause of the defect is thermal fatigue of the material.

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Inspections and engine replacement

Early damage does not necessarily mean that an engine immediately becomes unsafe to operate. At the same time, airlines must monitor the development of defects and replace engines before allowable limits are exceeded, increasing maintenance costs and complicating flight planning.

The study describes a case in which a borescope inspection of an engine with 1,818 cycles found material loss between rows of cooling holes. Under the maintenance manual, the engine was to be removed for repair within the next 10 cycles. Following an additional inspection, GE approved another 30 operating cycles, but the airline removed the engine after four additional cycles when it received a replacement unit.

As of August 2025, according to GE data cited in the study, about 417 GEnx engines with Phase 2 or Phase 2+ blades were in operation worldwide — 15% of the global fleet. The author recommended more frequent inspections of blades with more than 2,000 cycles, as well as closer monitoring of engine vibration, exhaust gas temperature and other parameters.