Rolls-Royce has launched the first of two durability enhancement packages, that will more than double the duration Trent 1000 engines remain in service before needing scheduled maintenance.
Increasing time on wing for the Trent 1000 will bring significantly improved asset utilisation, the company said, with this reducing maintenance burdens and providing “improved fleet planning certainty” for customers.
The enhancement package has been installed in new engines since January 2025, ready for delivery to customers at the earliest opportunity post-certification. From June 12, 2025, they will be distributed to maintenance facilities globally, to be retrofitted to engines that are already in service. Rolls-Royce stated that within two years all of the Trent 1000 fleet will have been upgraded.
The new technologies – part of the Trent fleet £1bn ($1.358bn) durability enhancement programme – will contribute to Rolls-Royce meeting its mid-term targets to increase average Time on Wing across all modern Trent engines, which incorporates the Trent 1000, Trent 7000, Trent XWB-84 and Trent XWB-97.
The company announced earlier this year that this target would double from its initial ambition of a 40% average increase to 80% by 2027.
“The Trent 1000 is an important engine for us and today marks a new chapter in its story,” said Tufan Erginbilgic, Rolls Royce CEO. “When upgraded, we’re confident that our customers and their passengers will benefit from increased durability, thanks to the proven enhancements that have already surpassed our expectations on the Trent 7000.
The first phase of durability enhancement includes a 40% increase in cooling to the new high pressure turbine blade. There are also updates to the combustion system, fuel spray nozzles and engine electronic controller software.