Bangkok--May 23--MDK Consultants (Thailand)
An Airbus Industrie A340-600 powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines recently completed a successful maiden flight from Airbus headquarters in Toulouse.
The aircraft was airborne for just under five and a half hours and reached an altitude of 38,000 feet. The flight was used to gather initial aircraft and engine performance measurements.
Airbus co-pilot Ed Strongman said: “We achieved the whole of the flight test programme we set out to do. It was really fantastic to go to maximum power, and the engines responded magnificently.”
John Cheffins, President — Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said the maiden flight marked “a significant milestone” in the growing relationship with Airbus.
“Co-operation between the Airbus and Rolls-Royce teams has been the key to successfully completing this first flight goal. The Trent 500 has been one of the smoothest engine development programmes we have ever undertaken. It has been on or ahead of schedule since we committed to the timetable four years ago.”
The first Trent 500 production engine was delivered to Airbus in March 2000 and installed on an original A340-300 series flying test bed which subsequently completed over 111 flight hours.
This maiden flight of the A340-600 took place exactly one month after the aircraft was unveiled at a special rollout ceremony in Toulouse.
Three A340-600s will be used in flight testing throughout the remainder of the year with a single A340-500 joining the programme in early 2002. A total of 2,400 flying hours are planned with the four aircraft.
A total of 12 Trent 500 customers have placed firm and option orders for 127 A340-500 and -600 aircraft, taking advance engine sales to around $6 billion (270 million baht). The 53,000-56,000lb Trent engine is the sole power plant for both growth versions of the A340 airliner.
Trent 500 production is set to increase from 20 engines this year to 150 a year in 2003 due to the strong demand. Rolls-Royce anticipates annual sales will reach 30 units within five years.
Versions of the Trent already in service have accumulated nearly 3 million flying hours since entry into service in 1995, experience which is now being fed back into current developments of the engine family.
Airbus Industrie announced the selection of the Trent 500 as sole engine for A340 growth aircraft at the Paris Air Show in 1997. Initial commitments were made by Air Canada and Virgin Atlantic later that year.
The Trent 500 ran for the first time at Rolls-Royce HQ in Derby in May 1999 with certification level thrust of 60,000lb being achieved within a week. Subsequent testing produced thrusts up to 68,000lb, and engine certification was achieved in December 2000 — two weeks early to the plan agreed in 1997
Note to picture editors:
Rolls-Royce plc is a global company providing power on land, sea and air. The company has established leading positions in civil aerospace defense and energy markets with a worldwide network of offices and manufacturing or service facilities in 20 countries. Its core gas turbine technology has created one of the broadest product ranges of aero engines in the world, with 55,000 engines in service with 300 airlines, 2,400 corporate and utility operators and more than 100 armed forces, powering both fixed wing and rotary aircraft.
Rolls-Royce is the global leader is marine power systems with a broad product range and full systems integration capability. More than 30 navies use Rolls-Royce propulsion. The company is investing in new products and capabilities for energy markets which include the oil and gas industry and power generation with its own power projects which are being developed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Rolls-Royce Power Ventures Ltd.
Rolls-Royce pioneered gas turbine technology for aerospace, power generation and marine propulsion and is involved in all the major future programmes in these fields. These include the Trent aero and industrial engines, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter combat engines, the WR21 marine engine and leading edge water jet propulsion systems. End.
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