Tag: Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce unveils all-electric plane targeting the record books

Electric Aviation, News (EN)
IASA e.V. - sustainable aviation

19 December 2019

Rolls-Royce’s ambitions to build the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft have taken an important step forward with the unveiling of the plane at Gloucestershire Airport. Work will now begin on integrating the ground-breaking electrical propulsion system to enable the zero-emissions plane to make a run for the record books with a target speed of 300+ MPH (480+ KMH) in late Spring 2020.

The plane is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called ACCEL – short for “Accelerating the Electrification of Flight” and is a key part of Rolls-Royce’s strategy to champion electrification. The project involves a host of partners including electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and the aviation start- up Electroflight. Half of the project’s funding is provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK.

Business Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “The UK has a proud heritage and enviable worldwide reputation for advances in aviation technology. The electrification of flight has the potential to revolutionise the way we travel and transform aviation for decades to come – ensuring we can travel worldwide while maintaining a low carbon footprint. Backed by Government funding, Rolls-Royce is pushing the boundaries even further, and this new innovation could become the fastest electric plane ever.”

Rob Watson, Director of Rolls-Royce Electrical said: “Building the world’s fastest all-electric aircraft is nothing less than a revolutionary step change in aviation and we are delighted to unveil the ACCEL project plane. This is not only an important step towards the world-record attempt but will also help to develop Rolls-Royce’s capabilities and ensure that we are at the forefront of developing technology that can play a fundamental role in enabling the transition to a low carbon global economy.”

The ionBird test airframe, named after the electrical technology propelling the aircraft, was also unveiled. The ionBird will be used to test the propulsion system before it is fully integrated into the plane. Planned tests over the next couple of months include running the propulsion system up to full power as well as key airworthiness checks.

“The ATI is proud to partner with Rolls-Royce on the ACCEL programme because we believe it will lead to exciting new developments in electric propulsion. One of the priorities of the ATI is looking at how aviation can be more sustainable, and ACCEL will be a critical step in our understanding of how electric propulsion fits into that broader aspiration for the UK aerospace sector,” said Gary Elliott, CEO of the Aerospace Technology Institute. “We are also excited about the way it establishes a new and innovative supply chain, bringing together the best of the UK that includes cross-sector expertise, start-up energy and critical domain leadership”.

ACCEL will have the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft, providing enough energy to fuel 250 homes or fly 200 miles (London to Paris) on a single charge. Its 6,000 cells are packaged to minimise weight and maximise thermal protection. An advanced cooling system ensures optimum performance by directly cooling cells during the high-power record runs.

The propeller is driven by three high power density axial electric motors and compared to a conventional plane, the propeller blades spin at a far lower RPM to deliver a more stable and far quieter ride. Combined they’ll continuously deliver more than 500 horsepower for the record run. Even during the record run the all-electric powertrain delivers power with 90% energy efficiency and of course zero emissions. (In comparison, a Formula 1 race car tops out at close to 50% energy efficiency).

Chris Harris, CEO, YASA said: “YASA’s electric motor technology is ideal for powering electric flight – the advantages we see on the road are amplified in the air where reducing size and weight for a given power and torque is even more important. We share the same passion for engineering as the team at Rolls-Royce and are delighted to partner with them on ACCEL, a project that’s ushering in a new age of sustainable, electric flight.”

The ACCEL project is just one of the ways in which Rolls-Royce is developing lower carbon power. This includes partnering with Airbus on the E-Fan X technology demonstrator project, which is an important stepping stone towards hybrid electric commercial aircraft at the scale of today’s single aisle family. We are also working with Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia on a joint research programme on zero-emissions aviation. The programme is part of the airline´s ambition to replace and electrify its regional fleet of 30+ planes by 2030.

Source: Rolls-Royce

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Cathay Pacific Becomes Second Operator of the A350-1000 Widebody

News (EN)

Increased capacity and advantages in fuel and cost efficiency

Toulouse, June 18, 2018: Cathay Pacific Airways has become the second airline to operate the A350-1000, the world’s newest long-range widebody airliner. The airline took delivery of the aircraft at a special event in Toulouse, France.

The aircraft is the first of 20 Airbus A350-1000s ordered by Cathay Pacific and will join the carrier’s growing fleet of A350 XWB aircraft, which already includes 22 A350-900s. Both aircraft are complementary and provide for maximum commonality with unmatched operating efficiencies. Travelers will benefit from absolute well-being in the cabin, with more personal space, optimized cabin altitude, more fresh air, controlled temperature and humidity, integrated connectivity and the latest-generation in-flight entertainment system.

The aircraft will be deployed on the airline’s new non-stop route from Hong Kong to Washington D.C., representing the longest flight – approximately 17 hours – performed by any airline out of Hong Kong. Paul Loo, Cathay Pacific Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, said: “The A350-1000 has an incredible range, is remarkably fuel efficient and quiet, provides customers with an unsurpassed cabin environment and has extremely attractive operating economics.”

The A350-1000 is the latest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, showing high level of commonality with the A350-900 with 95 percent common systems part numbers and the same Type Rating. As well as having a longer fuselage to accommodate 40 percent larger premium area (compared to the A350-900), the A350-1000 also features a modified wing trailing edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. To date, 11 customers from five continents have ordered a total of 168 A350-1000s.

Source: Airbus 

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Airbus A330neo en route to Reliability Tests

News (EN)
sustainable aviation

Reducing fuel consumption by about 25 % per seat

Toulouse, June 182018: The A330neo, Airbus’ newest widebody aircraft, has embarked on a worldwide tour to demonstrate its readiness for airline operations. As final step in the aircraft certification phase these function & reliability tests, also known as route proving will include ETOPS missions, landing at diversion airports and testing airport handling services. After a fly past over Airbus’ European sites, the A330neo will head for 15 major airports worldwide over five continents, aiming at achieving 150 Flight Test Hours in three trips. The route proving tests are performed with the first A330-900 production aircraft, fully equipped with an ‘Airspace by Airbus’ cabin and flying in launch operator’s Tap Air Portugal colors.
The route proving tests form part of the last trials required for aircraft Type Certification scheduled for summer 2018. Today two A330-900 flight test aircraft and the TAP customer aircraft are involved in the intensive flight test program, which will reach 1000 flight hours during the tour of the Airbus plants. 
Launched in July 2014, the A330neo family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99% commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 percent per seat versus previous generation aircraft and increasing range by up to 1,500nm compared to the majority of A330s in operation. The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB inspired Sharklets.
sustainable aviation

Airbus A330neo taking-off for a worldwide tour to demonstrate its readiness for airline operations

Source: Airbus
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Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens Team up for Electric Future

sNews (EN)

Partnership launches E-Fan X hybrid-electric flight demonstrator

 
London,  November 28,  2017: Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partnership which aims at developing a near-term flight demonstrator which will be a significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft.
The three companies together announced the groundbreaking collaboration, bringing together some of the world’s foremost experts in electrical and propulsion technologies, at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.  
The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is anticipated to fly in 2020 following a comprehensive ground test campaign, provisionally on a BAe 146 flying testbed, with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced by a two megawatt electric motor. Provisions will be made to replace a second gas turbine with an electric motor once system maturity has been proven. 
“The E-Fan X is an important next step in our goal of making electric flight a reality in the foreseeable future. The lessons we learned from a long history of electric flight demonstrators, starting with the Cri-Cri, including the e-Genius, E-Star, and culminating most recently with the E-Fan 1.2, as well as the fruits of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration with Siemens, will pave the way to a hybrid single-aisle commercial aircraft that is safe, efficient, and cost-effective,” said Paul Eremenko, Airbus’ Chief Technology Officer. “We see hybrid-electric propulsion as a compelling technology for the future of aviation.”
 The E-Fan X demonstrator will explore the challenges of high-power propulsion systems, such as thermal effects, electric thrust management, altitude and dynamic effects on electric systems and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The objective is to push and mature the technology, performance, safety and reliability enabling quick progress on the hybrid electric technology. The program also aims at establishing the requirements for future certification of electrically powered aircraft while training a new generation of designers and engineers to bring hybrid-electric commercial aircraft one step closer to reality.
As part of the E-Fan X program, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens will each contribute with their extensive experience and know-how in their respective fields of expertise:
ð       Airbus will be responsible for overall integration as well as the control architecture of the hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries, and its integration with flight controls.
ð       Rolls-Royce will be responsible for the turbo-shaft engine, two megawatt generator, and power electronics. Along with Airbus, Rolls-Royce will also work on the fan adaptation to the existing nacelle and the Siemens electric motor.
ð       Siemens will deliver the two megawatt electric motors and their power electronic control unit, as well as the inverter, DC/DC converter, and power distribution system. This comes on top of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration between Airbus and Siemens, launched in 2016, which aims at development and maturation of various electric propulsion system components and their terrestrial demonstration across various power classes.
Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce, Chief Technology Officer, said: “The E-Fan X enables us to build on our wealth of electrical expertise to revolutionize flight and welcome in the third generation of aviation. This is an exciting time for us as this technological advancement will result in Rolls-Royce creating the world’s most powerful flying generator.
 “Siemens has been driving innovation in core technology fields at full speed,” said Roland Busch, Chief Technology Officer of Siemens. “In April 2016 we opened a new chapter in electric-mobility with the collaboration with Airbus. Building up electric propulsion for aircraft, we are creating new perspectives for our company and also for our customers and society. With the E-Fan X partnership, we now take the next step to demonstrate the technology in the air.”
Among the top challenges for today’s aviation sector is to move towards a means of transport with improved environmental performance, that is more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels. The partners are committed to meeting the EU technical environmental goals of the European Commission’s Flightpath 2050 Vision for Aviation (reduction of CO2 by 60%, reduction of NOx by 90% and noise reduction by 75%). These cannot be achieved with the technologies existing today. Therefore, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are investing in and focusing research work in different technology areas including electrification. Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion are seen today as among the most promising technologies for addressing these challenges.

E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator based on a BAe 146 is anticipated to fly in 2020 with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced by a two megawatt electric motor

Source: Airbus
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Rolls-Royce Sets New Aerospace Record with UltraFan® Power Gearbox

sNews (EN)
sustainable aviation

25% fuel efficiency improvement over the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines

Dahlewitz, Germany, September 4, 2017: Rolls-Royce today announced that it has set a new record for the world’s most powerful aerospace gearbox, just months after testing began. Speaking at the International Society for Air Breathing Engines (ISABE) conference in Manchester, UK, Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce, confirmed that the Power Gearbox had successfully reached 70,000 horsepower while on test at Rolls-Royce’s dedicated facility in Dahlewitz, Germany. The Power Gearbox will play a central role in the company’s next-generation UltraFan® engine, helping to deliver improved efficiency over a wide range of thrusts.

Testing of the first demonstrator gearbox began on a specifically designed rig in May and having proven that the Power Gearbox is capable of managing the equivalent power of around 400 family cars at full throttle, testing will now focus on lower power functions such as endurance and reliability.

Rolls-Royce’s Power Gearbox is designed to run all the way up to 100,000 horsepower and future demonstrators are expected to achieve these levels. When running at maximum power, each pair of teeth on the gearbox will transmit more power than an entire grid of Formula 1 cars between them.

The Power Gearbox has a planetary design, with each ‘planet’ capable of holding the force of a Trent XWB engine at full throttle. It is designed to allow the shafts at the core of the engine to run at very high speeds while allowing the fan at the front of the engine to run at a slower speed. The associated improvement in efficiency and reduction in weight will allow the UltraFan engine to offer a 25% fuel efficiencyimprovement over the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

Commenting on the milestone, Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce – Chief Technology Officer, said: “Setting this record is a great achievement for the team and I’m proud we’ve managed to get there so quickly. Our Power Gearbox technology is central to the success of the next generation of Rolls-Royce jet engines and I’m pleased to see us pushing back engineering boundaries with this work.”

Arndt Schoenemann, Managing Director, Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH commented: “Reaching this milestone and impressive performance is proof of the great co-operation of all parties involved and especially of the expertise that accumulates in our joint venture with Rolls-Royce. Together, we are writing aerospace history.”

As well as high power testing, the Power Gearbox is also undergoing Attitude Rig testing, which simulates the effect of the gearbox being on the wing of an aircraft in flight, through phases such as take-off, climb, banking and descent.

Rolls-Royce is working in partnership with Liebherr-Aerospace, through our Aerospace Transmission Technologies joint venture, to develop manufacturing capability and capacity for the new Power Gearbox. Rolls-Royce leads the design definition and design integration of the project, as well as testing activities.

sustainable aviation

Reducing Green House Gas emissions in air transport: Rolls-Royce sets new aerospace record with all new UltraFan® Power Gearbox

The UltraFan engine, available from 2025, will feature:

  • Maximum fuel burn efficiency and low emissions through a new engine core architecture
  • Reduced weight through the use of Carbon Titanium (CTi) in fan blades and a composite casing
  • Increased efficiency through the use of ceramic matric composites (CMCs) which are heat resistant and require less cooling air
  • Efficient power for high by-pass ratio engines of the future through a geared design

Source: Rolls-Royce

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Delta to be First U.S. Airline to Fly the A350-900 XWB

News (EN)
A350-900 XWB

Technologically advanced widebody features 25 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions

Toulouse, July 13, 2017: Delta Air Lines has taken delivery of its first A350-900, and will be the first U.S. airline to operate the newest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family. The delivery is the first of five A350-900s scheduled for delivery to Delta in 2017.

The A350 XWB will bring unrivalled eco-efficiency and a superior passenger experience to primarily transpacific routes. The World-class, fuel-efficient jet will begin customer service from Detroit to Tokyo-Narita International starting Oct. 30.

The A350 XWB boasts the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, and the fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. This combination of technologies translates into unequaled operational efficiency, with a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. Due to a lightweight airframe and fuel-efficient engines, the A350XWBs are expected to generate a 20 percent improvement in operating cost per seat compared to the Boeing 747-400 aircraft they will replace.

To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 847 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

A350-900 XWB

Sources: Airbus / Delta Air Lines

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Airbus Reconfirms New A380 Delivery Targets 

News (EN)
A380 Reconfirm

Toulouse, December 27, 2016: Following an agreement reached between Emirates Airline and Rolls-Royce and a consecutive agreement between Emirates Airline and Airbus, the Toulouse based aircraft manufacturer is to adapt the A380 delivery stream with six aircraft deliveries postponed from 2017 to 2018 and six others from 2018 to 2019.

Airbus re-confirms the target to deliver around 12 A380s per year from 2018 as announced earlier in July 2016.

Further fixed cost reduction initiatives will be accelerated so the impact on break-even in 2017 is minimal.

A380 Reconfirm

Source: Airbus

Sustainable: Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN

sNews (EN)

Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN Selected to Power First Flight of the Boeing 787-10

Seattle, Wash., December 8, 2016: The new Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 ‘TEN'(Thrust, Efficiency and New Technology) has powered a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight for the first time. The flight, which took off and landed at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, US, marks the latest phase in the engine’s development program. Earlier this year. the Trent 1000 TEN has already powered tests on the Rolls-Royce Flying Test Bed aircraft, a Boeing 747, at Tucson, Arizona, US.

The Trent 1000 TEN will power all variants of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family. The engine draws on technologies from the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine and Advance engine program, delivering thrust and efficiency improvements.

The Trent 1000 powered already the first 787-8 entry into service in 2011 and the first 787-9 into service in 2014. Also the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB has powered the first flight of the Airbus A350-100 on November 24, 2016.

The 787-10, the third and largest member in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family, was officially launched at the Paris Air Show in 2013. As a straightforward stretch of the 787-9, which entered service in 2014, Boeing designed the 787-10 for superior efficiency as well as maximum commonality. Ninety-five percent of the design and build of the 787-10 and 787-9 will be identical, reducing complexity, cost and risk across the production system and providing operational benefits to customers. Fuel efficiency of the 787-10 will be around 25% better than the efficiency of the airplanes typically being replaced.

With a range of 6,430 nautical miles (11,910 km), the 787-10 will cover more than 90 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes. The 787-10’s fuel efficiency and range flexibility enables carriers to profitably open new routes as well as optimize fleet and network performance. First deliveries are expected for 2018.

Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN

Sources: Boeing, Rolls-Royce

 

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First Run of Trent 7000 Demonstrator

News (EN)

Rolls-Royce: First Run of Trent 7000 Demonstrator

Derby, UK, November 27, 2015: A Trent 7000 demonstrator engine has run for the first time, marking another program milestone for the latest member of the Rolls-Royce Trent family.

The demonstrator, which will prove the key technical features of the engine, successfully completed an initial power run, on schedule, on a test bed in Derby, UK.

The Trent 7000, the exclusive power plant for the Airbus A330neo, is the seventh member of the Trent family which has become the engine of choice in the wide body market over the last 20 years. The Trent 7000 is scheduled to enter service in 2017.

Chris Davie, Rolls-Royce, Trent 7000 Programme Director – Civil Large Engines said: “This is a great moment for everyone at Rolls-Royce – we have achieved an important program milestone on the journey to deliver our latest Trent engine. We are working closely with Airbus to ensure the Trent 7000 brings a step change in performance and economics.”

The Trent 7000 brings together:

  • Experience from the Trent 700 – the engine of choice for the current A330
  • Architecture from the Trent 1000 TEN – the latest version of the Trent 1000 engine
  • Latest technology from the Trent XWB – the world’s most efficient large civil engine

The 68-72,000lb thrust Trent 7000 will deliver significant performance benefits compared to the current version of the Trent 700. It will improve specific fuel consumption by ten per cent; have twice the bypass ratio; and will halve noise.

Trent 7000 demonstrator

The Trent 7000 was selected by Airbus for the A330neo aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2014.

Source: Rolls-Royce

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Trent in Line with Trend

News (EN)
IASA: Nachhaltige Luftfahrt - Sustainable Aviation

Rolls-Royce signs $2.4 billion engine agreement with HNA Group

October 21, 2015: Rolls-Royce has reached an agreement worth $2.4 billion for engines and services with HNA Group. The agreement was signed during the state visit by the President of the People’s Republic of China to the United Kingdom.

HNA Group is a conglomerate with interests in aviation, financial services, tourism and hospitality, logistics, real estate and retail. HNA Aviation currently operates and manages, amongst others, Hainan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines and Capital Airlines, flies to over 250 cities and serves 72 million passengers annually. HNA Group currently operates 33 Trent 700 powered A330 aircraft.

The engines included in the agreement will power a total of 44 aircraft that have already been ordered with Airbus.

The agreement was signed in London, by HNA Group Chairman Chen Feng and Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Officer Warren East and was welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

The agreement covers:

  • Trent 700 engines and TotalCare® service support for 20 Airbus A330s
  • TotalCare service support for Trent XWB engines that will power 15 Airbus A350-900s
  • TotalCare service support for Trent 700 engines that power five A330 freighters and four Airbus A330s

Mr Chen Feng said: “Rolls-Royce will provide both engine power and engine services for our new aircraft and we look forward to further developing our relationship as we bring these new aircraft into service.”

Mr East said: “We are proud to power HNA Group’s new aircraft, which will help to create new connections for airline passengers right across China. This decision by HNA Group is a real vote of confidence in our engines and our services and we greatly value our continued partnership with them.”

The Trent 700 has won more than 60 per cent of new orders over the last three years. More than 1,500 Trent 700s are now in service or on firm order, making it the most popular in-service Trent engine. The HNA Group agreement reinforces our confidence in managing a successful transition from the Trent 700 to the new Trent 7000, the exclusive engine for the A330neo aircraft.

The Trent XWB is the world’s most efficient large civil aero engine and more than 1,500 engines have already been sold to 40 customers.

Source: Rolls-Royce

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