Aircraft

Oneworld carrier Finnair has become the first airline to pick Rolls-Royce’s new Trent 1700 engines for the Airbus A350.

The Finnish carrier at the end of last year announced an order for nine A350-900s (an Airbus artist's impression of which is pictured below), together with three A340s, to replace its Boeing MD-11s. Deliveries of the A350s begin in 2012. It also has options on four more A350s.

© Airbus / Fixion

Finnair has now become the first airline to select the Trent 1700 for the aircraft. R-R last October announced plans to develop the new engine to provide a competing powerplant for the A350, after the aircraft was initially offered to carriers only with the rival General Electric GEnx engine.

R-R executive vice president, civil large engines, Nick Devall says: “The addition of Finnair to our list of Trent customers in the face of a strong incumbent supplier is a true endorsement of the R-R pedigree.”

Finnair chief executive Jukka Hienonen says: “The Trent 1700 offers us the best operating economics as we continue to grow our business with the best modern technologies. Our selection criteria was based on cost and performance, and the Trent 1700 is a great match for these requirements.”

R-R expects final engine configuration and selection of the technologies for the Trent 1700 by the end of next year. Ground testing is set to begin in the first half of 2009, while airworthiness certification and first flight on the A350 are due in 2010. The Trent 1700 will be available for deliveries from the middle of 2011.