Page 8 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE AERO ENGINES

will make its maiden test flight with the % narrow-body aircraft and 38% wide- than 20 years ago. The new engines will
Trent 1000 TEN, later this year, following body aircraft. Boeing aircraft represented feature a new core engine architecture,
which engine certification will be obtained the majority (53%), followed by Airbus at CTi Fan System, with carbon/titanium fan
for a scheduled Entry into Service in the 37%. Direct maintenance cost was $13.1 blades and a composite casing that will
middle of 2016. The TEN ‘delivers greater billion across the reported fleet, with offer substantial weight savings (approx.
efficiency amounting to over five per cent average maintenance cost per flight hour, 1,500lb per aircraft). RR has made a €65
fuel burn improvement since Entry in to per flight cycle and per aircraft at $1,167, million investment for a new test bed for
Service of the Trent 1000 in 2011’ says RR. $3,021 and $3.1 million, respectively. Jet power gearboxes at its site in Dahlewitz,
In March, RR announced that Air China fuel costs have dropped dramatically; the Germany, and an additional test bed
had selected the Trent 1000 as the engines average price per barrel of jet fuel for for future extra-large engines (up to
for its 15 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. 2015 is estimated at $ 71 as compared 150,000lbs thrust) was also inaugurated
Air China is a firm RR customer with ten to $ 125 in 2013. Engine maintenance last November at the same site.
Trent XWB-powered A350XWB’s on order. remained the highest cost segment; 42%
It also operates 45 Trent 700-powered of direct maintenance cost. The overall
A330’s out of a 49 aircraft order. RR’s Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO)
Trent 7000, chosen as the exclusive market in 2013 was $60.7 billion, with
powerplant for the new Airbus A330neo, engine MRO alone accounting for 40 % of
has seen RR receive commitments from the market.
customers who have ordered 120 of the Work is also underway on aero-engines
type so far. The Trent 7000 delivers a 10% of the future; RR’s Advance turbofan, will
improvement in specific fuel consumption be available from 2020 and UltraFan which
and will halve noise levels compared to uses a geared design with variable pitch
the current engine on the A330. fan system, should be ready a decade
Engine maintenance costs continue to from now. The Advance and UltraFan
remain significant, the FY 2013 analysis designs, will offer fuel burn efficiencies Boeing’s 737 MAX family
is an indicator of the
by IATA’s Maintenance Cost Task Force that are improved by a minimum of trend for a single engine
(MCTF), saw 48 airlines participating in 20 and 25 percent respectively, when supplier for future types,
the data collection effort. The reported compared to the first generation of with its choice of the CFM
a fleet of 3,779 aircraft, comprised of 53 Trent engines that entered service more LEAP-1B
8 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2015 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM