Comparison between Rolls Royce and General Electric

Rolls Royce engines spin clockwise (3 spool) & GE spin counterclockwise (2-spool)

GE engine makes a kind of whining noise when at full throttle as the Rolls Royce Engines
are very smooth and do not make the same noise.

Rolls Royce engines differ with its American counterpart GE in engine compressor
architecture. Rolls Royce design consists of three spool compressor HP (High
Pressure), IP (Intermediate Pressure) and LP (Low Pressure) compressorwhereas
American engines have twin-spool compressorsHP & LP. Rolls Royce claims that its
three spool compressor design makes the engine shorter in length and a relatively
cooler engine, requiring less maintenance.

The 3-spools are more efficient in climb and over short ranges, and the 2-spools are
more efficient over long cruises at high altitudes.

There is a weight difference between 2 and 3 spool engines. Rolls Royce's 3 spool
engines are supposed to be lighter.

The RR three-spool architecture is somewhat more complex to produce and maintain,

naturally, since more bearings and seals are required, but the three spool design allows
each spool to spin at a more optimum speed. This gives RR engines a generally
acknowledged advantage during climb, while GE engines have superior cruise
performance (specifically, lower fuel burn), generally speaking. So generally speaking,
airlines choose RR engines for short stage lengths and GE engines for longer-range
routes.

GE engines suffer from poor temperature margin whilst the RR has much higher margins
and longer on wing life.

Market share of these engine manufacturers, differs with each type of aircraft or its
developed versions. For example, in A380 market Rolls Royces share is 40%, with Trent
900 engine. GE GP7000 engine has the remaining market. In B777 market GE holds
about 65% share, with GE 90 engine and Rolls Royce 35% with Trent 800 engine. In B787
market, Rolls Royce has 40% share, with Trent 1000 engine, GE has the remaining 60%,
with GEnx series engines.

There is also a phenomenon of exclusivity in the market. Rolls Royce is the exclusive
supplier of Trent 500 series engines for A340500/600, Trent XWB series engines for
A350XWB and Trent 7000 series engines for A330neo. While, General Electric's GE90115B and GE90-110B are the exclusive engine series for the currently manufactured 777
variants the 777-300ER, 777-200LR, and the 777F freighter.

Rolls Royce engines use Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR) as the thrust reference parameter
while GE uses the N1 (Fan speed) as the thrust reference parameter. EPR is the measure
of a quantity that relates to the performance of the engine. N1 relates to a parameter
which is responsible for the performance of the engine. As such, N1 does not take into
account the other variables which may affect thrust, such as engine performance
degradation after several years. Still GE claims that thrust is more accurately controlled
by setting fan speed because all of the air flow is pumped by the fan rotor.