Beyond the seven ground test engines being produced, a further 11 Trent 1000s, including two spares, are planned to support flight tests which are currently due to start in earnest on an L-3-operated 747 testbed in the first quarter of 2007.

R-R Trent 1000 test 04 W445
Eight engines are due to be shipped to Everett for installation on the first four 787 test aircraft, with the first of these scheduled for transport by the end of the year. “This is the fastest programme the industry has even done from preliminary design to first run,” says R-R director of Boeing programmes Dominic Horwood.

Images © ROLLS-ROYCE

Source: Flight International

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