UltraFan is designed to deliver up to 100,000lb thrust, making it a scalable engine technology capable of powering both narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
While kitting starts in Derby, other elements of UltraFan are being built elsewhere in preparation for delivery. For example, the demonstrator’s composite fanblades and fancase are already under construction at our dedicated composite facility in Bristol, as is the power gearbox at Rolls-Royce in Dahlewitz, Germany.
UltraFan is more than an exciting engineering project, and an important part of Rolls-Royce’s future - it is also vital to our mission to pioneer the power the matters.
For while we continue to research new technologies such as electrification, the gas turbine will continue to be the bedrock of long-haul aviation for many years. It is therefore vital that we continue to increase its efficiency, which will help improve the economics of the transition to more sustainable fuels, which are likely to be more expensive in the short-term than fossil fuels. UltraFan will meet that challenge by delivering a 25 per cent fuel consumption reduction compared to the first generation of Trent engines.
As a result, UltraFan will be a vital component in achieving sustainable aviation.