The Trent XWB -97 is undergoing a rigorous test regime right now as it prepares for first flight later this year on an Airbus A380 flying test bed (FTB) and subsequent entry into service on the A350-1000 in 2017.
According to Simon Burr, COO for Civil Large Engines in Rolls-Royce: “The Trent XWB-97 will be the highest thrust engine we have ever certified, the highest operating temperatures and the most advanced cooling systems we have ever designed in a civil engine. We are working at the leading edge of technology but that is what you do to produce the world’s most efficient engines.”
As of today, there are 4 engines running in the development program for the -97.
The 1st development engine conducted proving runs up until September/2014. It provided a lot of useful data to the development team and that engine will now go on and do major tests such as ‘bird strike’.
A 2nd engine is in Canada completing its cold weather and icing running.
A 3rd engine has been performing endurance work and has also been x-rayed on a test bed in Derby, UK. Dynamic x-rays show the behavior of the components inside the engine as it operates, which can help prove the design theories by effectively giving the engineers ‘eyes-on’ the inside as the engine runs.
The 4th engine in the development program will be used for performance work.
All of this is in the build up to the 5th engine being employed on the Airbus A380 flying test bed(FTB).
Airbus is due to fly the first A350-1000 for the first time at the end of Q3/2016. Rolls-Royce is currently building the first flight engines for that event.
