Image Credit: Rolls Royce Rolls-Royce completed maiden flight test of the composite carbon/titanium (CTi) fan blade for its under dev...
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Image Credit: Rolls Royce
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A set of the CTi fan blades was incorporated into a Trent 1000 "donor" engine onboard a Rolls-Royce 747 flying test bed at Tucson, Arizona, USA.
The CTi technology delivers lighter fan blades while retaining aerodynamic performance. Combined with a composite engine casing, it forms a system that reduces weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers at no cost.
The fan blades completed crosswind testing in September at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, USA.
The Advance engine design will offer at least 20 per cent less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than the first generation Rolls-Royce Trent engine and could be ready for entry into service from 2020.
UltraFan™, a geared design with a variable pitch fan system, is based on technology that could be ready for service from 2025 and will offer at least 25 per cent less fuel and CO2 emissions against the same baseline.
