Rolls-Royce announced Monday that the BR715 engine has achieved 1 million flight hours, including more than 900,000 takeoffs and landings. The 18,500lb to 21,000lb thrust BR715 -- the cleanest and quietest in its class -- is the sole engine for the Boeing 717-200, designed specifically for the high-cycle, short-haul market.

One hundred aircraft are now in service with eight different operators on four continents. Current operators include AirTran Airways (USA), AeBal (Spain), Bangkok Airways (Thailand), Hawaiian Airlines (USA), Midwest Airlines (USA), Olympic Airways (Greece), QantasLink (Australia) and Turkmenistan Airlines (Turkmenistan). The Boeing 717 order book totals 153 aircraft.

AirTran, launch customer of the Boeing 717-200, reached 500,000 flight hours just days ago. Joe Leonard, Chairman and CEO of AirTran, commented: "The Boeing 717, powered by the Rolls-Royce BR715, gives AirTran one of the most advanced aircraft flying today. The 717 is quieter and more reliable than any other aircraft in its class. It's also the most environmentally friendly, with far lower emissions than any comparable aircraft. This engine is the cleanest and quietest in its class, and provides us with a strong economic advantage."

Timothy E. Hoeksema, Chairman, President and CEO of Midwest Airlines, said, "Midwest Airlines is thrilled with our new Boeing 717 aircraft with their quieter-than-ever, high efficiency engines. As we fly into the future, these aircraft with their low maintenance and fuel costs and prospects for greater utilization will be critically important to us. We enjoy our partnership with Boeing and Rolls-Royce and look forward to many years of shared success."

Since certification in 1998, the BR715 engine -- with its modern architecture, advanced compressor technology and outstanding environmental performance -- has contributed to making the Boeing 717 the most successful aircraft in its class. With a dispatch reliability of 99.961 per cent, the turbofan, the company says, "...is the best engine available for the 100-seater market."

More than 90 per cent of all BR715 engines are currently covered by TotalCare agreements, from which customers select from a menu of services to produce tailor-made solutions that match individual fleet requirements based on agreed rates per flight hour.

The BR700 family of engines, developed in Dahlewitz, are the first German civilian jet engines to have international certification. Their distinguishing features are their low operating costs, high ease of maintenance and their unique environmental acceptability. The Rolls-Royce BR710 is the sole engine offered on the Gulfstream 500 and on the Gulfstream 550 and on the Bombardier Global Express long range business jets, as well as on the new Bombardier super-large business jet Global 5000. It has also been selected as the powerplant for the new British Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance aircraft. The 100- seat Boeing 717-200 is powered by two more-powerful Rolls-Royce BR715 turbofans.

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com