Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 turbofan has been awarded 330min extended twin engine operations approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The engine is the lead powerplant for the Boeing 787 twinjet, due to enter service with All Nippon Airways (ANA) in the third quarter.
R-R has meanwhile delivered Trent 1000s to Boeing to support 787 ETOPS test flights for approval of the engine/aircraft combination. It has also handed over a pair of Trent 1000s for the first 787 to be operated by ANA.
Simon Carlisle, R-R Trent 1000 programme director, said: "ETOPS approval marks a major milestone for the Trent 1000 programme, setting new industry standards. We have produced the quietest and lightest engine for the aircraft, with the lowest fuel burn over the lifetime of an engine, contributing to the 787's target of delivering 20% less CO2 than previous generation aircraft."
The Trent 1000, which ran for the first time in 2006, was granted FAA certification in August 2007, and has amassed more than 10,000h of ground and flight tests, said R-R. The engine powered the 787's first flight in December 2009 and has since powered 80% of all test flights. The engine equips five of the seven aircraft in the 787 flight test programme, and recently passed 2,800h of flight tests, R-R added.
A Trent 1000 suffered an uncontained failure during ground testing in the UK on 10 August 2010, but R-R said a modification had been developed for later engines. However, Boeing last year blamed a lack of modified engines for causing delays to parts of the 787 flight test programme.
General Electric offers its GEnx as an alternative powerplant for the 787.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
