Delta Takes Delivery of Airbus A350 with New Engine Variant

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

The new powerplant secured aircraft-level certification in April. Rolls-Royce boasts a 1% decrease in specific fuel burn compared to previous models. According to Cirium fleet data, Delta (DL) took delivery of an A350 from Airbus on April 30, with another on track for delivery on June 15.

Delta A350 with RR Trent EP Engine

Rolls-Royce has achieved enhanced performance for the EP variant through improved systems engineering rather than new technologies.

Andy Ward, vice-president of programmes at Rolls-Royce, explained how the company utilized its deep understanding of customer operations related to the 84,000lb thrust-rated XWB-84 engine.

The EP variant is an optional upgrade to the baseline engine configuration, with Singapore Airlines (SQ) being the only identified customer before Delta’s introduction of this service.

This development is part of Rolls-Royce’s ambitious £1 billion improvement initiative that encompasses its Trent engine family. The manufacturer also aims to roll out durability enhancements for the Trent 1000, which powers the Boeing 787, to effectively double the engine’s time-on-wing performance.

These updates are directed toward enhancing the longevity of high-pressure turbine blades, addressing the durability challenges that have previously affected aircraft availability.

Regulatory Approval

Alan Newby, Rolls-Royce’s director for research and technology, indicated that certification for the Trent 1000 durability package by US authorities is nearing completion.

This year, the company will initiate testing on additional upgrade packages for both the Trent 1000 and Trent 7000 engines, emphasizing improvements to the high-pressure turbine blade in anticipation of a 2026 rollout.

Newby expressed optimism that these modifications could yield an additional 30% increase in time-on-wing performance for engines powering A330neo aircraft.

Advanced Component Testing

Ground testing of new components for the Trent XWB-97, which powers A350-1000 aircraft, is proceeding at full speed, with engines currently being evaluated. The enhancements for the 97,000lb-thrust XWB-97 represent the most significant share of the £1 billion investment, featuring redesigned high-pressure turbine blades, nozzle guide vanes, ceramic matrix composite seal segments, and combustor optimization.

Rolls-Royce is targeting 2028 for the rollout of XWB-97 enhancements, addressing engine durability in challenging hot and sandy operating conditions.

ALECSys Combustor Technology

Rolls-Royce is set to complete flight tests for its ALECSys lean-burn combustor system by late June or early July.

Throughout early 2024, the company conducted tests employing a Trent 1000 donor engine installed on its 747-200 flying testbed, including activities in the cold-weather conditions of Fairbanks, Alaska.

Newby confirmed that the focus of this testing is on validating system maturity and verifying models, which represents the last phase of assessment.

Emission Reduction

ALECSys technology, first flown in 2022, has undergone modifications that enhance both fuel injector and control system performance. The system significantly improves the pre-mixing of fuel and air before ignition, resulting in more efficient combustion while successfully minimizing NOx and particulate emissions.

Testing carried out in Cologne and on specialized rigs illustrated a remarkable 40% reduction in NOx emissions. ALECSys is expected to be a critical element of Rolls-Royce’s UltraFan engine, which is scheduled for service entry next decade.

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