LONDON, January 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rolls-Royce Trent 900, the largest aero engine the company has ever
built, will be unveiled along with the new Airbus A380 at a special ceremony
in Toulouse on Tuesday
The Trent 900 is the leading engine for the aircraft's development programme and will power the A380's maiden flight in Spring this year. It will also launch the four-engined, 555-seat A380 into commercial service with Singapore Airlines (SIA) in Spring 2006.
In addition to SIA, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic have also selected Trent-powered A380s for a total of 80 firm and option aircraft, giving the
Trent 900 a 50 per cent share of the market.
Mike Terrett, President Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: "We're celebrating a major milestone for the Trent 900, and the smooth entry into service for the A380 remains our main focus.
"The Trent 900 continues to meet, or better, its development targets. We are on track to deliver this fourth member of the Trent series into commercial service on schedule and to specification."
Engine certification was achieved on schedule in October 2004 through the new European Aviation Safety Agency. Even though it will operate initially at a maximum take-off thrust of 70,000lb, the Trent 900 is cleared at an 80,000lb rating, allowing margin for future growth. It reached thrusts in excess of 90,000lb during early test bed running.
With a fan diameter of 116 inches, the Trent 900 is physically the largest engine ever built by Rolls-Royce. It is also the world's cleanest large turbofan engine, measured by emissions per pound of thrust.
Design features include new generation "swept" fan blades with a scimitar-shaped leading edge for lower noise and greater aerodynamic efficiency. The engine also has the latest standard software, capable of providing real-time, in-flight engine health monitoring.
A total of 18 Trent 900s are being delivered to Airbus to support a flight test programme involving four A380s.
The engine has already successfully completed a 60-hour flight test programme on a converted A340-300 flying test bed, as well as a series of safety and reliability tests including multiple bird strikes and fan blade containment. Other testing has included measurement of severe weather performance through water, hail and ice ingestion, as well as simulated altitude handling at a specialist test bed in Tullahoma, USA.
Risk and revenue sharing partners on the Trent 900 are Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), Hamilton Sundstrand, Avio, Marubeni, Volvo Aero, Goodrich and Honeywell.
Samsung Techwin, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) are programme associates.
Initial facilities for Trent 900 maintenance will be Singapore Aero Engine Services Ltd. (SAESL) and N3 Engine Overhaul Services in Erfurt, Germany. N3 Engine Overhaul Services, the latest addition to the global network of Rolls-Royce repair and overhaul joint ventures, begins operations in 2007.
Visit www.thenewsmarket.com/rolls-royce to download broadcast-standard video or order a Beta SP tape of the Trent 900. Images of the Trent 900 are available from the Media Room at www.Rolls-Royce.com
Corporate note to editors
Rolls-Royce operates in four global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. It invests in technology and capability that can be exploited in each of these sectors to create a competitive range of products.
The success of these products is demonstrated by the company's rapid and substantial gains in market share over recent years. The company now has a total of 54,000 gas turbines in service worldwide. The investments in product, capability and infrastructure to gain this market position create high barriers to entry.
Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces and more than 2,000 marine customers, including 50 navies. The company has energy customers in nearly 120 countries. Rolls-Royce employs around 35,000 people, of which 21,000 are in the UK. Forty per cent of its employees are based outside the UK - including 5,000 in the rest of Europe and 8,000 in North America.
The large installed base of engines generates demand for the provision of services. A key element of the company's strategy is to maximize services revenues, which have increased by 60 per cent over the past five years, by the provision of a comprehensive portfolio of services.
Annual sales total nearly £6 billion, of which more than 50 per cent are services revenues. The order book is more than £19 billion, which, together with demand for services, provides visibility as to future activity levels.
Trent 900 Fact File
Market position:
Trent 900
Selected by five out of eight operators who have so far made engine decisions Singapore Airlines (10 firm + 15 options) Qantas (12 firm) Virgin Atlantic (6 firm + 6 options) Lufthansa (15 firm + 10 options) Malaysia Airlines (6 firm) Total: 80 aircraft (320 installed engines) Market share: 50% (firm and option) Trent 900 development and technical background:
Leading engine development programme on the A380 and launch engine for the aircraft (entry into service with Singapore Airlines, Spring 2006)
First run, on schedule, March 2003
Engine certification, on schedule, October 2004
Successfully completed 60-hour flight test programme on A340-300 flying test bed, August 2004, on schedule
Will power maiden flight of A380, Spring 2005
Cleared for 80,000lb thrust at certification, allowing margin for growth. Thrust required at entry into service is 70,000lb
Lightest, cleanest and quietest engine on A380. Lowest emissions of any large turbofan engine, measured per pound of thrust
New technology features include "swept" titanium fan blades (lower noise, improved aerodynamics) and counter-rotating HP system ("straightens" air flow, improves efficiency)
Its 116 inch diameter fan makes the Trent 900 physically the largest engine ever built by Rolls-Royce
Trent 900 risk and revenue sharing partners:
Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), Hamilton Sundstrand, Avio, Marubeni, Volvo Aero, Goodrich and Honeywell.
Samsung Techwin, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) are programme associates.
Trent 900 specifications:
Thrust 70,000 - 76,500lb (Certificated to 80,000lb)
Overall pressure ratio 37:1 - 39:1
Bypass ratio 8.7:1 - 8.5:1
Inlet mass flow 2,655 - 2,745lb/sec
Fan diameter 116 inches
Length 179 inches
Weight 14,190lb
Stages:
- Fan
- 8-stage intermediate pressure compressor (IPC)
- 6-stage high pressure compressor (HPC)
- Annular combustor
- Single-stage high pressure turbine (HPT)
- Single-stage intermediate pressure turbine (IPT)
- 5-stage low pressure turbine (LPT)
Family background:
Trent 900 incorporates the successful and unique three-shaft design established by the RB211 series and continued by earlier Trent variants
Fourth version of the Trent series to enter service - all market leaders
Trent 700 (39%) Trent 800 (43%) Trent 500 (100%)
Firm and option orders placed for over 1,900 Trents by nearly 50 customers
Trent 900 will draw on the experience of 20 million total Trent flying hours by service entry
And, not a lot of people know that....
At take-off, the A380's four Trent 900s will deliver thrust equivalent to the power of more than 3,500 family cars
The engine's hollow, titanium fan blades are almost 10 feet across and suck in over 1.25 tons of air every second. By the time the air leaves the nozzle at the back of the engine it has been accelerated to a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kph)
Temperatures in the engine core are half those on the surface of the sun
The blades in the engine's high pressure system rotate at 12,500 rpm, with tip speeds reaching 1,200 miles per hour (2,000 kph)
At take-off, each of the 70 high pressure turbine blades in a Trent 900 produces over 800hp....more power than a Formula One racing car
The 116 inch fan operates at nearly 3,000rpm with tip speeds 1.5 times the speed of sound
A Trent 900 has around 20,000 individual components
Rolls-Royce Plc
The Trent 900 is the leading engine for the aircraft's development programme and will power the A380's maiden flight in Spring this year. It will also launch the four-engined, 555-seat A380 into commercial service with Singapore Airlines (SIA) in Spring 2006.
In addition to SIA, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic have also selected Trent-powered A380s for a total of 80 firm and option aircraft, giving the
Trent 900 a 50 per cent share of the market.
Mike Terrett, President Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: "We're celebrating a major milestone for the Trent 900, and the smooth entry into service for the A380 remains our main focus.
"The Trent 900 continues to meet, or better, its development targets. We are on track to deliver this fourth member of the Trent series into commercial service on schedule and to specification."
Engine certification was achieved on schedule in October 2004 through the new European Aviation Safety Agency. Even though it will operate initially at a maximum take-off thrust of 70,000lb, the Trent 900 is cleared at an 80,000lb rating, allowing margin for future growth. It reached thrusts in excess of 90,000lb during early test bed running.
With a fan diameter of 116 inches, the Trent 900 is physically the largest engine ever built by Rolls-Royce. It is also the world's cleanest large turbofan engine, measured by emissions per pound of thrust.
Design features include new generation "swept" fan blades with a scimitar-shaped leading edge for lower noise and greater aerodynamic efficiency. The engine also has the latest standard software, capable of providing real-time, in-flight engine health monitoring.
A total of 18 Trent 900s are being delivered to Airbus to support a flight test programme involving four A380s.
The engine has already successfully completed a 60-hour flight test programme on a converted A340-300 flying test bed, as well as a series of safety and reliability tests including multiple bird strikes and fan blade containment. Other testing has included measurement of severe weather performance through water, hail and ice ingestion, as well as simulated altitude handling at a specialist test bed in Tullahoma, USA.
Risk and revenue sharing partners on the Trent 900 are Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), Hamilton Sundstrand, Avio, Marubeni, Volvo Aero, Goodrich and Honeywell.
Samsung Techwin, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) are programme associates.
Initial facilities for Trent 900 maintenance will be Singapore Aero Engine Services Ltd. (SAESL) and N3 Engine Overhaul Services in Erfurt, Germany. N3 Engine Overhaul Services, the latest addition to the global network of Rolls-Royce repair and overhaul joint ventures, begins operations in 2007.
Visit www.thenewsmarket.com/rolls-royce to download broadcast-standard video or order a Beta SP tape of the Trent 900. Images of the Trent 900 are available from the Media Room at www.Rolls-Royce.com
Corporate note to editors
Rolls-Royce operates in four global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. It invests in technology and capability that can be exploited in each of these sectors to create a competitive range of products.
The success of these products is demonstrated by the company's rapid and substantial gains in market share over recent years. The company now has a total of 54,000 gas turbines in service worldwide. The investments in product, capability and infrastructure to gain this market position create high barriers to entry.
Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces and more than 2,000 marine customers, including 50 navies. The company has energy customers in nearly 120 countries. Rolls-Royce employs around 35,000 people, of which 21,000 are in the UK. Forty per cent of its employees are based outside the UK - including 5,000 in the rest of Europe and 8,000 in North America.
The large installed base of engines generates demand for the provision of services. A key element of the company's strategy is to maximize services revenues, which have increased by 60 per cent over the past five years, by the provision of a comprehensive portfolio of services.
Annual sales total nearly £6 billion, of which more than 50 per cent are services revenues. The order book is more than £19 billion, which, together with demand for services, provides visibility as to future activity levels.
Trent 900 Fact File
Market position:
Trent 900
Selected by five out of eight operators who have so far made engine decisions Singapore Airlines (10 firm + 15 options) Qantas (12 firm) Virgin Atlantic (6 firm + 6 options) Lufthansa (15 firm + 10 options) Malaysia Airlines (6 firm) Total: 80 aircraft (320 installed engines) Market share: 50% (firm and option) Trent 900 development and technical background:
Leading engine development programme on the A380 and launch engine for the aircraft (entry into service with Singapore Airlines, Spring 2006)
First run, on schedule, March 2003
Engine certification, on schedule, October 2004
Successfully completed 60-hour flight test programme on A340-300 flying test bed, August 2004, on schedule
Will power maiden flight of A380, Spring 2005
Cleared for 80,000lb thrust at certification, allowing margin for growth. Thrust required at entry into service is 70,000lb
Lightest, cleanest and quietest engine on A380. Lowest emissions of any large turbofan engine, measured per pound of thrust
New technology features include "swept" titanium fan blades (lower noise, improved aerodynamics) and counter-rotating HP system ("straightens" air flow, improves efficiency)
Its 116 inch diameter fan makes the Trent 900 physically the largest engine ever built by Rolls-Royce
Trent 900 risk and revenue sharing partners:
Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), Hamilton Sundstrand, Avio, Marubeni, Volvo Aero, Goodrich and Honeywell.
Samsung Techwin, Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) are programme associates.
Trent 900 specifications:
Thrust 70,000 - 76,500lb (Certificated to 80,000lb)
Overall pressure ratio 37:1 - 39:1
Bypass ratio 8.7:1 - 8.5:1
Inlet mass flow 2,655 - 2,745lb/sec
Fan diameter 116 inches
Length 179 inches
Weight 14,190lb
Stages:
- Fan
- 8-stage intermediate pressure compressor (IPC)
- 6-stage high pressure compressor (HPC)
- Annular combustor
- Single-stage high pressure turbine (HPT)
- Single-stage intermediate pressure turbine (IPT)
- 5-stage low pressure turbine (LPT)
Family background:
Trent 900 incorporates the successful and unique three-shaft design established by the RB211 series and continued by earlier Trent variants
Fourth version of the Trent series to enter service - all market leaders
Trent 700 (39%) Trent 800 (43%) Trent 500 (100%)
Firm and option orders placed for over 1,900 Trents by nearly 50 customers
Trent 900 will draw on the experience of 20 million total Trent flying hours by service entry
And, not a lot of people know that....
At take-off, the A380's four Trent 900s will deliver thrust equivalent to the power of more than 3,500 family cars
The engine's hollow, titanium fan blades are almost 10 feet across and suck in over 1.25 tons of air every second. By the time the air leaves the nozzle at the back of the engine it has been accelerated to a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kph)
Temperatures in the engine core are half those on the surface of the sun
The blades in the engine's high pressure system rotate at 12,500 rpm, with tip speeds reaching 1,200 miles per hour (2,000 kph)
At take-off, each of the 70 high pressure turbine blades in a Trent 900 produces over 800hp....more power than a Formula One racing car
The 116 inch fan operates at nearly 3,000rpm with tip speeds 1.5 times the speed of sound
A Trent 900 has around 20,000 individual components
Rolls-Royce Plc
© 2005 PR Newswire
