Delta Takes Delivery of Airbus A350 with New Engine Variant

ATLANTA- Delta Air Lines (DL) has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first airline to receive an Airbus A350-900 equipped with Rolls-Royce’s new “Enhanced Performance” variant of the Trent XWB-84 engine.

This advanced powerplant received aircraft-level certification in April. Rolls-Royce proudly announced a 1% reduction in specific fuel burn relative to earlier models. Cirium fleet data reveals that Delta took delivery of one A350 from Airbus on April 30, with another delivery anticipated on June 15.

Delta A350 Featuring Rolls-Royce Trent EP Engine

Rolls-Royce has achieved significant performance improvements with the EP variant through optimized systems engineering, avoiding the need for new technologies.

Andy Ward, vice-president of programs at the UK-based engine manufacturer, clarified that the company capitalized on its operational knowledge regarding how customers utilize the 84,000lb thrust-rated XWB-84 engine.

The EP variant is an optional enhancement over the baseline engine configuration, with Singapore Airlines (SQ) being the initial identified customer prior to Delta’s introduction of the service.

This development is part of Rolls-Royce’s extensive £1 billion improvement initiative aimed at enhancing its in-production Trent family. The manufacturer intends to introduce durability upgrades for the Trent 1000, which powers Boeing 787 aircraft, designed to significantly increase the engine’s time-on-wing performance.

The modifications focus on increasing the longevity of high-pressure turbine blades, addressing durability issues that have historically impacted availability for operators.

Regulatory Approval

Alan Newby, Rolls-Royce director for research and technology, reported that aircraft-level certification from U.S. regulators is nearing completion for the Trent 1000 durability enhancements.

The company plans to initiate testing on further upgrade packages for both the Trent 1000 and Trent 7000 engines within the year, with an emphasis on high-pressure turbine blade enhancements leading up to the expected rollout in 2026.

Newby is confident that these enhancements will yield an additional 30% time-on-wing gain for engines fitted to A330neo aircraft.

Advanced Component Testing

Testing for innovative components related to the Trent XWB-97, which powers A350-1000 models, is actively underway with engines undergoing rigorous assessment. The 97,000 lb-thrust XWB-97 enhancements represent a substantial part of the £1 billion investment, featuring redesigned high-pressure turbine blades, optimized nozzle guide vanes, ceramic matrix composite seal segments, and improved combustor designs.

Rolls-Royce is aiming for a 2028 launch of XWB-97 enhancements, particularly addressing engine durability for operations in challenging hot and sandy environments.

ALECSys Combustor Technology

Rolls-Royce expects to complete its flight testing of the ALECSys lean-burn combustor system by late June or early July.

Testing, conducted with a Trent 1000 donor engine on its 747-200 flying testbed, has been ongoing throughout early 2024, including cold-weather testing in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Newby indicated that the testing is focused on validating system maturity and verifying models, representing the final evaluation phase.

Emission Reduction

Originally flown in 2022, the ALECSys technology has undergone modifications that enhance both fuel injector and control system efficiency. The system improves the pre-mixing of fuel and air before ignition, resulting in more complete combustion, which reduces NOx and particulate emissions.

Tests conducted in Cologne and on specialized rigs achieved remarkable 40% reductions in NOx emissions. ALECSys is a key component of Rolls-Royce’s UltraFan engine, expected to enter service in the next decade.

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