Why Airbus Completely Ignored Boeing's Signature Engine Feature
Lift and Thrust
43,580 views
Boeing's engines have teeth. Airbus's don't. The real reason reveals which one quietly won the fight.
✈️ To check out the radical new engine about to go into testing on an Airbus A380, check out this video: GE Is Bringing Back The Propfan And Testin...
Why have Boeing’s engines got jagged “teeth” while Airbus’s are perfectly smooth? Those triangular chevrons on the 787, 747-8, and 737 MAX cut takeoff noise by up to 6 decibels - yet Airbus never fitted them to anything, even after Boeing’s patent expired in 2021.
The real answer isn’t about patents or engine suppliers. It’s about two completely different engineering philosophies, and one of them quietly won the game.
Boeing needed chevrons because the 737’s low stance forced a smaller, noisier engine. Airbus spent its money on invisible solutions - zero-splice acoustic liners, higher bypass ratios, and geared fans - that fix noise at the source with zero drag penalty.
Then came the twist: Boeing’s own 777X dropped chevrons entirely, replacing them with the GE9X’s 3.4-metre fan and new nozzle tech. The signature feature vanished without a word. So which approach was right? The answer hides inside every smooth nacelle flying today.
Timestamps
00:00 The Mystery of the Jagged Engine Teeth
00:46 What the Teeth Are Actually Fighting
02:39 Why Boeing Needed Them
05:56 The Room Where Airbus Said No
07:47 What Airbus Built Instead
11:03 Same Supplier, Two Different Answers
12:51 The Maths That Decided It
14:45 The Quiet Reversal
17:01 Two Philosophies, One Winner
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W H A T T O W A T C H N E X T
✈️ Want to see what's happening right now in aviation instead? If so, check out this video: The 777X Conundrum: Why US Airlines Are Av...
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20 Comments
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Did you know this about the appearance of the different engines? I hope you liked watching this video as much as I enjoyed researching it! If you're wondering about some of the new engines I mentioned in the video, why not check this out next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2As0Orl6PQY&list=PLohuHHvZdwiMpyWbyN112N8e_7RtjKKm7&index=2
GE makes those engines, Boeing and Airbus are airframe makers that rely on engine manufacturers, GE, PW or Rolls-Royce.
The chevron were meant initially for the Max and Dreamliner, but eventually, due to its success, it ended up on the -8 but not the 777X. It has become an iconic feature of a Boeing jet, which anyone can imagine Airbus will stay clear of that design. It does have the XWB and later on the massive Ultrafan.✌🏾
Are the chevrons to reduce noise to passengers or bystanders?
Why Airbus Completely Ignored Boeing's Signature Engine Feature
Lift and Thrust
43,580 views
Boeing's engines have teeth. Airbus's don't. The real reason reveals which one quietly won the fight.
✈️ To check out the radical new engine about to go into testing on an Airbus A380, check out this video: GE Is Bringing Back The Propfan And Testin...
Why have Boeing’s engines got jagged “teeth” while Airbus’s are perfectly smooth? Those triangular chevrons on the 787, 747-8, and 737 MAX cut takeoff noise by up to 6 decibels - yet Airbus never fitted them to anything, even after Boeing’s patent expired in 2021.
The real answer isn’t about patents or engine suppliers. It’s about two completely different engineering philosophies, and one of them quietly won the game.
Boeing needed chevrons because the 737’s low stance forced a smaller, noisier engine. Airbus spent its money on invisible solutions - zero-splice acoustic liners, higher bypass ratios, and geared fans - that fix noise at the source with zero drag penalty.
Then came the twist: Boeing’s own 777X dropped chevrons entirely, replacing them with the GE9X’s 3.4-metre fan and new nozzle tech. The signature feature vanished without a word. So which approach was right? The answer hides inside every smooth nacelle flying today.
Timestamps
00:00 The Mystery of the Jagged Engine Teeth
00:46 What the Teeth Are Actually Fighting
02:39 Why Boeing Needed Them
05:56 The Room Where Airbus Said No
07:47 What Airbus Built Instead
11:03 Same Supplier, Two Different Answers
12:51 The Maths That Decided It
14:45 The Quiet Reversal
17:01 Two Philosophies, One Winner
---
AirLog is, in my opinion, the best digital pilot logbook app out there - I use it myself daily. I've managed to score you three months totally free to try it for yourself right here: https://tinyurl.com/airlogsecretoffer
---
W H A T T O W A T C H N E X T
✈️ Want to see what's happening right now in aviation instead? If so, check out this video: The 777X Conundrum: Why US Airlines Are Av...
❤️ Follow me on social media:
✅ Instagram: Instagram: liftandthrustaviation
✅ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@liftandthrus...
#aviationnews #airbusvsboeing #aviation #airplanes
Get vidIQ to grow your channel faster! 🚀
https://vidiq.com/LiftandThrust