GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce told to bid for new plane

Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Dennis Muilenburg, chairman and CEO of Boeing. The company says 1 out of every 4 jetliners rolling off its assembly lines is being bought up by Chinese customers.

A major step towards the launch of a Boeing 797 has been taken after different engine makers were reportedly given until the end of Wednesday to detail how they would power the airplane.

In July 2016, Boeing forecasted a 4,000 to 5,000 aircraft demand for a new “middle of the market” airliner. The plane-maker suggested it could achieve a service entry date of around 2025.

Now, the first version is reported to be the NMA-6X, a 228-passenger medium-range aircraft with a 5,000 nautical mile range. A second version, the NMA-7X would be larger with 267 seats, but a range of 4,200 nautical miles.

Both concepts would evolve to become the Boeing 797.

According to the aviation magazine “The Air Current,” Boeing has given the manufacturers a Request for Proposals (RFP) deadline of June 27 to submit plans for a new engine that burns 25 percent less fuel than turbines used on Boeing’s 757 planes.

General Electric and Safran’s joint venture CFM, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are three firms identified as bidders for the project.

Commenting on the report, Sandy Morris, Jefferies aviation equity analyst, said in a note Wednesday that CFM would be “keenest” to power the 797 and might push forward a derivative of its GE9X engine, currently used to power Boeing’s 777X.

Morris said Pratt & Whitney’s proposal could also be in the mix if it can demonstrate that its GTF technology could scale up to the 45,000 pounds of thrust that Boeing is said to be demanding.

A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce refused to confirm the report but provided CNBC with the following statement:

“We are an engine company and have always said that whenever an aircraft manufacturer comes forward with a proposal we will have a technology response. However, until any details are confirmed, we cannot speculate and these matters are completely a matter for the aircraft manufacturer.”