In its 2017 Full Year results published on March 7, 2018 Rolls-Royce outlined certain Trent 1000 engine in-service issues and the estimated costs relating to the implementation of the solutions to address those issues. As part of its ongoing inspection and testing of those engines, the manufacturer decided to carry out additional engine inspections to those previously planned following its greater understanding of the durability of the Trent 1000 Package C compressor, a condition that was highlighted earlier this year. These inspections will be supported by service management and flight operations guidance to airlines to be issued by the airworthiness authorities. This will unfortunately lead to additional disruption for customers, warned Rolls-Royce.
There are 380 Package C engines currently in-service with airlines. This new regime does not impact Trent 1000 Package B engines or Trent 1000 TEN engines.
“While the compressor technical issue was known at the time of our results, the requirement for more regular inspections will lead to higher than previously guided cash costs being incurred during 2018,” stated the company in the update. “We are reprioritising various items of discretionary spend to mitigate these incremental cash costs and our guidance for 2018 FCF remains unchanged at Group FCF for 2018 of around £450m +/- £100m.”
Following the announcement, CEO, Warren East, said: “Our focus is on supporting our customers and doing all we can to minimise any impact on their operations. We sincerely regret the disruption this will cause to our customers and our team of technical experts and service engineers is working around the clock to ensure we return them to full service as soon as possible. We will be working closely with Boeing and affected airlines to minimise disruption wherever possible.”
Rolls-Royce seeks to provide the power plant of the CR929
Paul Stein, chief technology officer of Rolls-Royce, has confirmed that Rolls-Royce will join the relevant bid to provide the engine for the proposed CR929 widebody aircraft, planned to be developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
“We are taking it very seriously. We want to be the engine provider. The CR929 will invite a lot of positive competition and innovative opportunities to the aviation industry. China has an ambition in developing its civil aviation industry. Rolls-Royce wants to be part of that ambition and growth… The CR929 will be an excellent aircraft. We want to offer something we know already, which is the engine with one of the latest proven technologies. We want to guarantee the commercial success of this new aircraft model,” Stein told China Daily.
Requests for proposals (RFP) to potential suppliers of the aircraft were sought late last year with a deadline for bids of May 2018.