Air Caraibes order launches Rolls-Royce Trent XWB in France and–1000 XWB in Europe

Monday, 15 September 2008

Rolls-Royce has received its first order for Trent XWB engines from a France-based carrier, with the Air Caraïbes order for three Airbus A350-1000 XWB aircraft. The engines will be backed by a long-term TotalCare® agreement, bringing the combined engine and services package value to more than $250 million at list prices.

This is also the first time that Air Caraïbes, based at Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe (French West Indies), has ordered Rolls-Royce Trent engines. The Trent XWB, which is currently the only engine on the A350 XWB, has become the fastest-selling Trent engine, underpinning the position of Rolls-Royce as the market leader on modern widebody aircraft. This order increases the number of Trent XWB orders to 374 aircraft from 17 customers.

Jacqueline Sutton, Senior Vice President – Airlines, Rolls-Royce, said: "The Trent XWB, like all Trent applications, is tailored specifically for the aircraft it powers. The TotalCare® service agreement is also tailored to Air Caraïbes’ operation, so we look forward to supporting the airline’s growth plans with both our technology and services expertise.”

Jean-Paul Dubreuil, Air Caraïbes’ President added: “It is absolutely essential for us to utilise the latest technology and services to help drive the best economics and efficiencies in our operation – and we are confident that Rolls-Royce allied to Airbus for the A350-1000 XWB will play a key role in that strategy.”

The Trent XWB is available in a range of thrusts from 74,000 to 92,000 lb. A single engine type will power all versions of the A350 XWB. By the time the Trent XWB enters service, Trent series engines will have accumulated more than 75 million flying hours.
The first Trent XWB is scheduled to begin ground testing in 2010, and will make its maiden flight on the new Airbus twinjet in 2012.
At the Farnborough Airshow in July, Rolls-Royce announced Trent XWB engines and services contracts worth nearly $7 billion at engine list prices.
Air Caraïbes - a French carrier based in the West Indies - employs more than 800 people. The airline operates a mixed fleet of turboprop and jet aircrafts on its regional Caribbean network as well as three Airbus A330 on its transatlantic routes from Paris to Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France and soon to Cayenne (French Guiana). Air Caraïbes carried 1 million passengers in 2007. More about Air Caraïbes on www.aircaraibes.com
Rolls-Royce has a leading 50 per cent market share on modern, widebody aircraft, with more than 1,500 Trent engines in service on more than 550 aircraft and a further 2,500 on backlog. Each of its six Trent engines has either been the first or launch engine on the airframe, or has gone on to take the leading market share. Based on the existing order book, the Trent fleet is expected to double in the next five years.
Rolls-Royce is working hard to improve the environmental impact of its products. Each year the company, in collaboration with its partners, invests over £800 million on research and development, two thirds of which has the objective of reducing the environmental impact of its products. The primary technology investment area is aimed at reducing noise and emissions.
TotalCare®, tailored for individual operators, offers a range of services from Rolls-Royce covering all aspects of asset management in support of its Civil Aerospace products. Building on the company’s knowledge, experience and infrastructure, these services include elements such as predictive maintenance, logistics management, and global repair and overhaul offerings. TotalCare® can remove uncertainties from engine management and improve operational reliability for operators through a mutually aligned business relationship.

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