Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, will power AirAsia X aircraft in an order worth up to US$1.8bn at list prices.

Trent XWB engines have been selected for 10 firm and five option Airbus A350 XWB aircraft ordered by AirAsia X. In addition, the airline has ordered Trent 700EP (Enhanced Performance) engines for 10 A330 aircraft already on order. All engines ordered will include TotalCare® long term service agreements.

The Trent XWB is the fastest-selling member of the Trent engine family and the most fuel efficient. The Trent 700EP has the best performance, lowest emissions and lowest fuel burn on the A330. Today’s announcement brings the total number of Trent 700EP-powered A330s ordered by AirAsia X to 25.

The new aircraft will help Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia X, a low-cost, long-haul operator, extend its network capability, particularly for routes into Europe.

Azran Osman Rani, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia X, said: “Our selection of these aircraft and engine combinations is a further step in our strategy to develop and succeed with low-cost long-haul operations. The efficiency of the Trent engine technology we have chosen will support our drive to keep costs to a minimum while also minimising environmental impact.”

Jim Sheard, Rolls-Royce Senior Vice President – Asia Pacific and Africa, said: “We are delighted AirAsia X has selected Trent power for its future growth plans, selecting Trent XWBs for the first time and showing continued commitment to the Trent 700, following selection of the engine for the initial order of 15 A330s two years ago.”

Rolls-Royce has a leading 50 per cent market share on modern, widebody aircraft, with more than 1,500 Trent engines in service on more than 550 aircraft and a further 2,500 on order. Each of the six members of the Trent family have either been the first or launch engine on the airframe, or have gone on to take the leading market share.

AirAsia X is the low-cost long-haul affiliate of AirAsia, named the World’s Best Low Cost Airline by Skytrax.

1. Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, has established a strong position in global markets – civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. In each of these sectors, Rolls-Royce offers value-added long-term service agreements for customers and operators.
2. In 2008, Rolls-Royce and its partners invested £885 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental aspects of its products, in particular the reduction of noise and emissions.
3. Annual sales were £9.1 billion in 2008, of which 52 per cent came from services revenues. The firm and announced order book at the end of 2008 stood at £55.5 billion, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
4. AirAsia X, an affiliate of AirAsia with shareholders including the Virgin Group and AirAsia Berhad, is the low-cost long-haul airline launched in January 2007 which commenced commercial services in November 2007. AirAsia X aims to cover destinations which are more than four hours in flight duration from Kuala Lumpur, complementing the existing AirAsia network and offering daily point-to-point frequencies from Kuala Lumpur to popular destinations in Australia, North Asia, India, the Middle East and Europe.
5. The Trent 700 is the only engine on the A330 that has been specifically designed for the aircraft, resulting in better lifetime performance, reliability and maintenance costs. It has accumulated more than 10 million hours of operating service. The Trent 700EP further reduces engine fuel burn by a further 1.3 per cent.
6. TotalCare®, tailored for individual operators, offers a range of services from Rolls-Royce covering all aspects of asset management in support of its Civil Aerospace products. Building on the company’s knowledge, experience and infrastructure, these services include elements such as predictive maintenance, logistics management, and global repair and overhaul offerings. TotalCare® can remove uncertainties from engine management and improve operational reliability for operators through a mutually aligned business relationship.
7. Rolls-Royce has had a significant presence in Malaysia since Rolls-Royce aero engines first powered the Comet and F27 aircraft in the 1960s. Today, the company’s extensive product range is active in Malaysia across all four of its business sectors, with Rolls-Royce products available on more than 220 platforms. Most recently, Rolls-Royce signed a £75 million MissionCare™ long term services contract with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to support the Adour engines which power its fleet of Hawk aircraft.

Source: Rolls Royce