Recently in Engines Category

Much as the title suggests - here's Rolls-Royce's Trent XWB powerplant, which will eventually power the Airbus A350, on its maiden flight on board Airbus's A380 MSN1 flying test bed.

Credit: Airbus

Very much as the title of the post suggests: Airbus has mounted the first Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine to its A380 flying testbed as it gears up to launch the flight test campaign. With its 118-inch diameter fan, it's fair to describe the engine, which will power the A350, as "quite big really".

Credit: Airbus

...here's a pic from the excellent MoD flickr stream of an RAF groundcrew conducting an engine test on a Tornado GR4 aircraft from 617 Squadron under at night at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

Credit: Sgt Ross Tilly, RAF

Probably the most predictable news of the week - Boeing has given the go-ahead for the launch of its re-engined 737. If the rendered pics reveal anything it's that the new version of the twinjet has the same sculpted nacelles as the 787 and that Boeing is dropping the 700/800/900 designation in favour of the -7/8/9 seen on the 747 and 787.

Credit: Boeing

Virgin America will become the launch customer after committing to 30 of Airbus's re-engined A320neo (new engine option)," says Airbus, although it says no engine selection has been made.

Virgin America chief executive David Cush disclosed the agreement yesterday in Toulouse.

It covers 60 A320 aircraft in total, 30 of which are the A320neo.

In December 2010 Airbus launched the A320neo for entry into service in 2016.

Airlines will have a choice between the CFM International LEAP-X and Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1100G powerplants.

The A320neo will also incorporate "sharklet" wing-tips that help to save fuel, says the airframer.

"The A320neo will not only deliver significant fuel savings of up to 15%, which represents up to 3,600t of CO2 savings annually per A320neo. In addition, A320neo customers will benefit from a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions, reduced engine noise, lower operating costs and up to 500nm (950 km) more range or two tonnes more payload," adds the EADS subsidiary.

Qantas A380 spotted landing after ferry flight into Toulouse yesterday afternoon from Hamburg, where its interior was fitted), prior to its handover in the near future.

Picture credit Andre Fantome

 

 

Flightglobal content on the incident

Asian Skies Blog: VIDEO: Qantas A380 after emergency landing in Singapore 

AirSpace gallery - Qantas A380 engine failure 

Story: PICTURES & VIDEO: Qantas A380 makes emergency landing after losing engine cowling 

Story: SIA has no plans to ground A380s after Qantas incident

Profiles

Airline: Qantas

Aircraft: Airbus A380

Airport: Singapore Changi Airport 

This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 5 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user Steelhead. His photo depicts the No. 2 engine Kelowna Flightcraft DC-10-30F C-GKFB. The photo was taken at Hamilton (YHM), Ontario in Canada.

Rolls-Royce has conducted a first-time run of its new Trent XWB engine for the Airbus A350 family. The engine ran yesterday on a test-bed at the manufacturer's Derby facility.

Rolls-Royce says the operation initiates the "most extensive pre-flight programme in Trent history", ahead of flight tests on an A380 in 2011.

Seven Trent XWB development engines will be operating by early next year, says the company, while flight-testing is scheduled to start on the A350 in 2012. Continue reading...

This photo of a GE90 engine accompanied our article on how a bustling engine remote diagnostics business at GE Aviation is fuelling a new family of prognostics health management (PHM) tools to further boost safety while cutting disruptions, maintenance costs and shop visit durations.

The article was part of our special section on MRO Americas 2010: Why airlines must comply or simply not fly, with other articles including:

• Airlines: Comply or don't fly
• Military: Upkeep u-turn
• Data: Barriers remain to getting connected

MRO Americas is currently underway in Phoenix, Arizona. You can read the daily news of day one the show here in our new interactive format. Follow the most up-to-date news at our special MRO Americas page here.