Without referring explicitly to Snecma boss Jean-Paul Bechat's plea on Monday for a multinational approach to developing propulsion for the Airbus 400M military heavy lifter, Rolls-Royce executive John Cheffins said here yesterday that such talks are underway.
Cheffins' small step beyond his normal commercial aircraft brief is no doubt related to the fact that the Airbus 400M's engine is certain to be developed from an existing civil engine.

He said the signing of an agreement with Boeing to offer the proposed Trent 600 engine on developed versions of the 747 and 767 airliners "subject to launch conditions being met."

The Trent 600 will have a 102-inch diameter fan, with swept wide-chord blades and a range of technologies from its Trent antecedents. It will cover the power range from 68,000 to 72,000 lbs thrust, and will be suitable for 747s or 767s.

Having landed 80% of new business on widebody airliners sold since 1997, Rolls is extremely happy with the current situation, particularly as widebodies now make up half of the commercial aircraft sector.

The Trent 500 for the ultra long-range Airbus 340­500/600 series is on course for certification in December this year, having completed about 1,700 hours on the flying test bed-seen here at the show-and on ground rigs.

Design work on the Trent 900 for the Airbus AXX, now formally launched with the first firm order this week, is proceeding well for certification at 80,000 lbs thrust, with a comfortable scope for further thrust development. By the time it enters service, Rolls estimates, it will have the backing of some 15 million flying hours accumulated by earlier Trents.

Of the Trent's predecessors, the smaller RB-211-524, Cheffins said that all current purchasers of the Boeing 747-400 were opting for it, while 225 V2500 engines would be produced this year, when Rolls' market share will be 51%, growing to 56%.

Cheffins put a $200 billion value on the estimated 20,000-engine market over the next 20 years. Relating this to the company's current activity, Rolls will deliver about 1,100 aero engines this year and 1,200 next year.

By Bob Rodwell