Starting at the high-thrust end of the scale, the Trent series powers new generation widebody airliners from Airbus and Boeing and has captured almost half the business in this sector.

The first member of the family to enter service was the Trent 700 on Cathay Pacific’s A330s in 1995.

Thai Airways International launched the Trent 800 on its Boeing 777s in 1996. This version is the most powerful in the Trent series with thrusts up to 95,000lb.

The 53,000 – 56,000lb thrust Trent 500, the sole engine for growth versions of the A340, made its commercial debut in 2002 with Virgin Atlantic on the A340-600 and subsequently entered service with Emirates on the lower capacity, longer range A340-500.

In October 2007, the fourth variant, the Trent 900, entered service with Singapore Airlines as launch engine on the A380.

Development of the Trent 1000 as launch engine for the Boeing 787 continues to progress well, with on-schedule certification and a first flight on the Rolls-Royce 747 flying test bed in mid 2007. All Nippon Airways will be the first airline to operate the Trent-powered Dreamliner.

Trent engines trace their three-shaft design lineage from the company’s RB211 series which boasts a distinguished record of service starting with the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar and continuing through the Boeing 747, 757 and 767 as well as the Tupolev Tu-204.

In the mid-size aircraft sector, Rolls-Royce is a senior shareholder in the International Aero Engines consortium which produces the V2500 engine for the A319, A320, A321 and Airbus Corporate Jetliner.

Rolls-Royce has a strong presence with new generation engines in the regional sector through the AE 3007 and BR700 series engines for Embraer and Boeing applications respectively.