Rolls-Royce lands biggest ever Trent XWB order

Rolls-Royce has announced its largest ever order for its Trent XWB aero engine.

The engineering giant, which has its civil aerospace division in Derby, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Air India for 68 Trent XWB-97 engines to power a new fleet of Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with an option on a further 20.

Air India has also ordered 12 Trent XWB-84 engines, to power a fleet of Airbus A350-900s.

It is the first time that an Indian airline has ordered the Trent XWB and the deal will make Air India the largest operator of the Trent XWB-97 in the world.

Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive of Rolls-Royce, said: “This announcement marks an exciting and truly remarkable occasion for Tata Group and Air India; the size and magnitude of this order reflects the level of their ambition for the future.

“I congratulate them on taking this bold step towards becoming one of the world’s greatest airlines and I would like to thank them for putting their trust in Rolls-Royce to power them on this journey.”

The Trent XWB was designed and developed at Rolls-Royce’s base in Derby, where it is also now manufactured.

The Trent XWB-97 and Trent XWB-84 variants exclusively power the Airbus A350.

The engines will support Tata Group and Air India’s ambitious growth plans for the airline, as it takes on ultra-long-range routes between India and the US.

Campbell Wilson, chief executive of Air India, said: “We are delighted to commence this partnership with Rolls-Royce, and to have their Trent XWB engines power our new fleet of A350 aircraft.

“We are confident that they will provide us with the reliability and efficiency consumers expect of today’s leading airlines, and thereby play an important part in Air India’s comprehensive transformation and growth strategy.”

According to Rolls-Royce, the Trent XWB is the world’s most efficient aero engine in service, providing a 15% fuel consumption advantage over the first generation of Trent engine.

The firm added that the engine is also ready to operate on a 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel blend.

Rolls-Royce said that the size of the Air India order reflects the increasing demand for air travel in India, which now has the third biggest airline market in the world and is ranked as the fifth largest economy globally.

Mr Erginbilgic said: “With a dynamic and growing aviation industry, India is a strategically important market for us, and we look forward to working with Air India as they connect their passengers across global communities and cultures.”