Rolls-Royce has begun building its 100th Trent XWB-84 as it prepares to ramp up production from three to five engines a week for the Airbus A350 by the end of the year.
By that time, the UK propulsion firm should have achieved the regulator’s approval for and begun volume production of the engine’s higher-thrust sibling, the Trent XWB-97 that will power the larger A350-1000, due to fly this year.
With five examples built, the Trent XWB-97 has completed over half its test programme and “we are in a really good position regarding the on-time certification of the engine”, says Tim Boddy, head of marketing for the Trent XWB.
Singapore Airlines will become the fifth airline to receive the A350-900 this month, after launch operator Qatar Airways, Finnair, TAM and Vietnam Airlines.
With the Trent XWB-84 having made almost 10,000 commercial flights since going into service with Qatar in January 2015, Boddy says the engine has been Rolls-Royce’s “best entry into service ever”.
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Source: Flight Daily News
