Eric Ducharme Chief Engineer, General Manager GE Aviation
Sessions
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AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum 2019
Dr. Eric Ducharme is Chief Engineer at GE Aviation, a $30B global business in
Aircraft Engines and Aviation Systems. He is responsible for airworthiness &
certification, design process & quality, product & flight safety, and technical talent
development for a global team of 7000 engineers.
He joined GE Aircraft Engines in 1987, where he led the aeromechanical design
of swept composite fan blades, resulting in the first successful engine
applications. He also led Systems Engineering for the CFM56-7B engine entry
into service (on the 737NG) and the GE90-115B engine through FAA
certification. He was the General Manger of Commercial Engine new product
development at GE Aviation, delivering on over $2B+ of certification programs for
next-gen engines including the: LEAP-1A/-1B/-1C (A320neo/737 Max/C919), and
the Passport 20 (Bombardier Global 7500). Most recently he led Advanced
Technology, responsible for a global team of 800 engineers delivering
differentiated technologies and architectures for next-gen engines.
Dr. Ducharme also served as VP Global Technology at GE Transportation (2009-
’14), a $6B business providing propulsion, power and control solutions for rail,
mining & marine customers. There he led the development of the Evolution
Series of locomotives, with state-of-the-art efficiency and low-emissions.
Dr Ducharme holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University,
and a Masters and Doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.
He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering active in aeronautics
and engineering education initiatives, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society,
an Associate Fellow of the AIAA, and a member of the Civil Aviation Council of
the AIA. He was also a past member of the NASA Aeronautics Advisory
Committee, and past chair of the ASME Industry Advisory Board.
Aircraft Engines and Aviation Systems. He is responsible for airworthiness &
certification, design process & quality, product & flight safety, and technical talent
development for a global team of 7000 engineers.
He joined GE Aircraft Engines in 1987, where he led the aeromechanical design
of swept composite fan blades, resulting in the first successful engine
applications. He also led Systems Engineering for the CFM56-7B engine entry
into service (on the 737NG) and the GE90-115B engine through FAA
certification. He was the General Manger of Commercial Engine new product
development at GE Aviation, delivering on over $2B+ of certification programs for
next-gen engines including the: LEAP-1A/-1B/-1C (A320neo/737 Max/C919), and
the Passport 20 (Bombardier Global 7500). Most recently he led Advanced
Technology, responsible for a global team of 800 engineers delivering
differentiated technologies and architectures for next-gen engines.
Dr. Ducharme also served as VP Global Technology at GE Transportation (2009-
’14), a $6B business providing propulsion, power and control solutions for rail,
mining & marine customers. There he led the development of the Evolution
Series of locomotives, with state-of-the-art efficiency and low-emissions.
Dr Ducharme holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University,
and a Masters and Doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.
He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering active in aeronautics
and engineering education initiatives, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society,
an Associate Fellow of the AIAA, and a member of the Civil Aviation Council of
the AIA. He was also a past member of the NASA Aeronautics Advisory
Committee, and past chair of the ASME Industry Advisory Board.