• Thomas-Boon-A350, British Airways-17
    Rolls-Royce
    Stock Code:
    RR
    Date Founded:
    1906-03-15
    CEO:
    Warren East
    Headquarters Location:
    London, United Kingdom
    Business Type:
    Engine Maker
    Key Product Lines:
    Trent Engine, Pearl Engine

The durability enhancement package implemented on Trent 7000 engines is expected to deliver improved time-on-wing. Rolls-Royce and Airbus anticipate Airbus A330neo customers to get much superior value compared to that of predecessor aircraft.

As part of its continuous improvement program, the engineering team at Rolls-Royce has been making minor changes to the engine since its launch in 2019.

Rolls-Royce Trent 7000

The Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 is a high-bypass turbofan engine powering the Airbus A330neo exclusively. The engine has a bypass ratio of 10:1, twice that of the Airbus A330ceo’s Trent 700. The engine provides an output thrust of 68,000 to 72,000 lbf (300 to 320 kN) of output thrust.

Rolls-Royce claims the Trent 7000 is up to 14% more fuel efficient than its predecessor. Moreover, with twice the bypass ratio, the engine emits 50% less noise than the Trent 700. The engine took its first flight in October 2017 onboard the A330neo and was first delivered for commercial service in November 2018. The engine has received the ETOPS 330 certification.

Rolls-Royce significantly improved on the Trent 700 design to deliver a much more efficient product for the “neo” version of the A330. According to Rolls-Royce,

"Created specifically for the Airbus A330neo, we took the unsurpassed Trent 700 experience and fused it to the engine technology of the Trent XWB: the most efficient in the world. The Trent 7000 engine has delivered levels of reliability and availability expected from a more mature fleet, meaning more aircraft are departing on time for our airline customers."

The durability enhancement package

Rolls-Royce’s new durability enhancement package increases the engine’s reliability and, hence, its time-on-wing. This package was certified in August 2022 and has been in serial production since. Kuwait Airways is already taking advantage of Trent 7000s with the newly installed package. The engines that pre-date the introduction of this package will have the opportunity to receive the durability enhancement upgrade during their first scheduled complete refurbishment.

A Kuwait Airways A330neo aircraft taking off.
Photo: Kuwait Airways

A new high-pressure turbine (HPT) blade is introduced as part of the package. Efficient design and use of advanced materials on the HPT blades ensure greater temperature resistance and durability of the turbine blades. Moreover, the improved cooling system for the HPT blade has not only improved the engine’s operating efficiency but also doubled the blade life. Increased blade life translates to more time-on-wing for the Trent 7000.

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Comprehensive testing

Rolls-Royce conducted rigorous trials on the new HPT blade and engine. A comprehensive testing program was established and included both ground and flight tests; criteria are far beyond the certification requirements, particularly for the new HPT blade.

Endurance test requirements pushed the engine to work much harder than usual: equivalent to 4,000 flights or five years of continuous operations. The tests were conducted to ensure that the durability enhancement package delivers on its promise, both during operation and through the engine’s entire lifecycle.

What are your thoughts on the new durability enhancement package introduced by Rolls-Royce for the Trent 7000 engine? Tell us in the comments section.