Rolls-Royce claims world aerospace record

Rolls-Royce has said a gearbox it has developed for the UltraFan aero engine has set a new world aerospace record.

The engineering giant has reported that in a recent test, the gearbox has reached 87,000 horsepower or 64 megawatts – enough to power a city the size of Bath.

View fullsize

The milestone was achieved as the build continues on the power gearbox that will be delivered for the actual UltraFan demonstrator engine, UF001, later this year.

UltraFan, which is scalable for narrowbody or widebody aircraft, is a key element of Rolls-Royce’s commitment to making travel more sustainable.

Dr Holger Klinger, sub-system executive for the power gearbox, said: “Reaching this record is another great achievement that showcases the performance and durability of this key component for our UltraFan programme.

“The power gearbox technology is central to the success of the next generation of Rolls-Royce jet engines and I’m proud to see us pushing the engineering boundaries again.”