These are the huge horsepower numbers that are powering your next flight
Published on Jul 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Jul 08, 2025 at 6:45 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
These are the huge horsepower numbers of aircraft that could be powering you and your airliner on your next flight.
Airliners are some of the most powerful vehicles on the planet, and they need that power to get us and their cargo up into the skies as quickly and safely as possible.
Some airliners, such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, have huge amounts of power thanks to their massive engines.
All of these figures make for impressive reading and show how much power some aircraft need to get off the ground.
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Huge horsepower numbers are common in airliners
To put into context how much power these aircraft have, we can look at the current Boeing 777 airliner.
The aircraft is powered by two General Electric GE90-115B turbofan engines.
They produced 115,000lbs-force of thrust each, which, translated into horsepower, comes out at 418,907hp.
This might increase when the new Boeing 777X airliner is in commercial service.
Another highly powerful aircraft is the giant Airbus A380.
While it hasn’t been a commercial success, the A380 is still a punchy plane.
A380s have either four Engine Alliance GP7000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines powering them.
That equates to around 304,000lb-force of thrust.
How do turbofan engines work?
Currently, the most powerful modern turbofan airliner engine is the General Electric GE9X.
This is the engine that will power the upcoming Boeing 777X.
In total, each of these produces 134,300lb-force, around 476,006hp.
In a turbofan, the incoming air goes through a set of fan blades before it’s channeled in two directions.
It goes into the core compressor and a burner, which is then ignited.
The air is then sent through a nozzle and around the engine to create the thrust needed to power the aircraft.
Most major airliners in the world now use some form of turbofan.
A handful of commercial aircraft, however, use turboprop engines, combining turbine engines with a propeller.
Seeing how much power these engines have is remarkable, especially in the larger airliners.
It’s certainly something to think about whenever you next get on an Airbus or Boeing and head on your vacation.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
