BOEING PLANNED to reduce the flight test programme for the Rolls-Royce Trent 890 destined for the 777, following a successful first flight test.
The engine was flown on Boeing's 747 testbed aircraft on 29 March, with a further flight planned for each of the following two days.
After the first flight, senior project pilot Jim Metcalfe said that the planned 15h of flying would be cut to 12h. R-R had hoped not to have to fly the engine on the 747, but Boeing insisted on the programme following unexpected development issues with the rival Pratt & Whitney and General Electric engines.
During the 4h 15min flight, Metcalfe took the aircraft to 35,000ft (11,000m) and Mach 0.83 and performed high angle-of-attack manoeuvres. He said on landing that the engine "performed beautifully - it's a real sweetheart".
In the other two flights, Boeing intended to explore the flight envelope to 43,000ft, perform slam accelerations and decelerations, complete re-lights and run a full-power 400kN (90,000lb)-thrust take-off.
Source: Flight International
