Turbofans Will Power A330s, Boeing 787s

Aero-News has learned Rolls-Royce recently signed a deal for two versions of the Trent engine family with commercial aircraft leasing service CIT Aerospace, a unit of CIT Group Inc. CIT Aerospace is purchasing the Trent 700 to power four firm and seven option Airbus A330s, and the Trent 1000 for two firm Boeing 787s on order, and options to equip three additional 787s.

The contract is potentially worth up to $560 million at list prices. The deal for the Trent 700s includes an order for engines to power two A330s that have been placed by CIT Aerospace with the Hainan Airlines Group of China, as announced in August 2006.

To date ,CIT Aerospace has taken delivery of eight Trent 700 powered A330s, leased to Edelweiss, Etihad, JMC, and Iberworld.

"CIT is an established and valued customer and we welcome this opportunity to expand our business partnership with them," said Mark King, Chief Commercial Officer, Civil Large Engines at Rolls-Royce. "We view this double order from CIT as an endorsement of the Trent product line, and our strategy of optimising each type of Trent for its respective aircraft. Through constant development and the use of innovative technologies, each Trent engine is tailored for its specific aircraft application. This results in high performance engines with class-leading economics that are also engineered to minimise environmental impact."

Jeff Knittel, President, CIT Aerospace, added: “The Trent has proven to be a reliable engine family combining high performance and low operating costs. More than 50 percent of airline customers that lease an A330 have chosen the Trent 700. Their inclusion in our portfolio enhances our product offering to customers.”

The Trent 1000 (below) is the launch engine on all variants of the Boeing 787. ANA will begin operating the 787-8 in mid-2008 and will also introduce the short-range 787–3 variant in 2010. Air New Zealand will launch the 787–9 into service, also in 2010. It offers a range of thrusts from 53,200-75,000lb.

Rolls-Royce's Trent 700 is the most popular engine selection for the A330, with a 41 percent share of orders and 34 customers and operators. It was the first Rolls-Royce Trent to enter service in March 1995 and is the most powerful engine for the A330, with a maximum in-service thrust of 72,000lb.

FMI: www.rollsroyce.com, www.cit.com