Finalist: BMW Rolls-Royce
Location Oberursel, Germany
Achievement Bringing the BR710 engine to the corporate-jet market on scheduleOnly six years after starting out as a new joint venture, BMW Rolls-Royce received European certification for the BR710 engine on board the Gulfstream V. Remarkably, the certification, which took place on 14 August, was one day ahead of the master plan.
For BMW R-R it represented the first step in achieving its goal of establishing a new engine family in the 62-142kN (14-23,000lb)-thrust class. The judges were impressed that the company had met its programme targets and its promise of creating a state-of-the-art product.
Following European certification on the GV, the BR710 went on to gain US approval in September and, by the end of January 1997, it had also been certificated for the Bombardier Global Express - this time four weeks ahead of schedule. First engines have already begun to leave the brand new Dahlewitz assembly halls.
BMW R-R has now received 200 orders for the engine on the GV and another 94 for the Global Express, giving the engine a commanding position on the new generation of ultra-long-range business jets.
Source: Flight International
