Trent 700 Deal Could Be Worth More Than $200M

Rolls-Royce announced Wednesday it has received its first order for as many as 12 Trent 700 engines for the Airbus A330-200 freighter.

Guggenheim Aviation Partners (GAP) selected the engine for up to six of its aircraft in a deal estimated to be worth around $200 million to Rolls-Royce at current list prices. To sweeten the deal, Rolls-Royce threw in a service package, under which it will take full responsibility for engine maintenance. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2010, according to the company.

"The Trent 700 is the most capable engine for the A330F, providing freighter operators with the greatest operational flexibility in terms of route and network options. It is also the cleanest and quietest engine for the aircraft, making it an excellent choice for operators to minimize their environmental impact.

"This decision also establishes a new relationship for us as Guggenheim Aviation Partners joins the growing list of Trent customers," said Chris Cyr, Executive Vice President - Americas at Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce states the Trent 700 is the only engine available on the A330 that was specifically designed for the aircraft. The engine was the company's first to enter service in March 1995 and has a maximum in-service thrust of 72,000 pounds.

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com/civil_aerospace/default.jsp, www.airbus.com