Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 for Boeing 787 receives ‘Ticket to Fly’ on 7/8/7

The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, launch engine for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has received its airworthiness certification on schedule and just 18 months after the engine’s first ground run.

It also maintains the 100 per cent record of Rolls-Royce over the past two decades in achieving on-time certification for all aero engine development programmes, including the previous four members of the market-leading Trent series.

The occasion was marked today (07.08.07) by a special ceremony at Rolls-Royce in Derby, UK, at which the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) handed over the engine’s airworthiness certificate, which clears the Trent 1000 to power the Dreamliner’s first flight later this year.

The Trent 1000 made history by becoming the first engine to be validated concurrently by EASA and America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the latest regulatory procedures.

Including business yet to be announced, orders have been placed for over 500 Trent 1000 engines by 15 operators and five leasing companies – approximately half the Boeing 787 customers who have made an engine decision. For more information about the Trent 1000, visit www.rolls-royce.com/trent1000.

Mike Terrett, President – Civil Aerospace, told an audience of 300 employees: “The Trent 1000 continues to set the pace on the 787 programme – first engine to run and first to be certified. Going forward, it will be first to fly on the 787 and first to take the Dreamliner into service.

“This is another proud moment for everyone who watched our engine sharing the spotlight at the 787’s recent Premiere in Seattle. It is an important day, not only for the team at Rolls-Royce, but also for our colleagues at Boeing, our programme partners, suppliers, and, of course, our customers.

“Focus now turns to the first flight of the 787, and beyond that, to ensuring a smooth entry into service with launch customer ANA (All Nippon Airways) when they begin commercial flights next year.”

Mike Bair, Vice President and General Manager of the Dreamliner programme, told Boeing employees at a parallel event in Seattle: “Three years ago the joint Boeing and Rolls-Royce team got together and laid out a programme from first test run to engine certification. Through your hard work and dedication you have found a way to achieve those critical milestones on time. It brings us one step closer to the day we’re all eager for – the Dreamliner’s first flight. “

Nine development engines have been used in ground testing, and a further ten will support flight testing on four 787s. Delivery of production engines to Boeing will begin in the first quarter of next year.

Design of the Trent 1000 has focused on delivering world-best levels of fuel burn, noise and emissions. The continuing introduction of new technology, supported by the experience of Trent series engines already in service, will ensure that the Trent 1000 delivers the lowest emissions for the 787, exceeding the requirements of current and future legislation.