Engine Will Power The Gulfstream G650

Rolls-Royce has received type certification for the new BR725 engine that will power the first flight of the Gulfstream G650 business jet later in the year. Type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is for thrust ratings of 16,100lbf (71.6 kN).

Since first engine run in April 2008, the BR725 has completed all major development testing as well as accumulating almost 1,100 running hours and 3,500 engine cycles.

Dr Norbert Arndt, Director Engineering, Rolls-Royce Deutschland, said: "The BR725 development program has progressed extremely quickly and efficiently with a clear focus on technology and delivering key milestones. Test results have been outstanding and confirm all of our expectations. We are very proud to have achieved this certification milestone on schedule. We are now looking forward to first flight and the flight test program."

During development testing the engine demonstrated exceptional performance operating at sea-level and altitude conditions. It also proved its ability to cope with bird-strike, ice, hail and water ingestion as well as passing the critical fan blade containment test, during which a fan blade is deliberately released at maximum speed. The fan blade containment test was performed in a new indoor test bed at the company's Derby facilities.

Testing was undertaken at various Rolls-Royce locations in Europe and the US, including Dahlewitz in Germany, Derby in the UK and the Rolls-Royce outdoor jet engine testing facility, located at NASA's John C Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, USA as well as the altitude test bed at AEDC (Arnold Engineering Development Center) in Tullahoma, Tennessee, USA.

The G650 program was launched in 2005 and Rolls-Royce was selected to power this new business jet. Testing of first development engines began in spring 2008. First flight test engines were dispatched to Gulfstream from the Rolls-Royce Dahlewitz facility earlier this year. First flight of the G650 is planned for later this year, BR725 serial production is scheduled for 2010 and the G650 is due to enter service in 2012.

Developed to rigorous standards, the BR725 has completed a demanding development schedule hitting all milestones and development gates as planned at the program outset. The BR725 is the sixth new civil engine development program to come out of Rolls-Royce on time and on budget in as many years.

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com