Rolls-Royce has achieved a major milestone in its quest for greener aviation as its state-of-the-art UltraFan engine technology completes its inaugural tests at the Derby facility. The company heralds UltraFan as a significant leap forward, boasting unparalleled fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels compared to any of its previous engine designs.
According to Rolls-Royce, the UltraFan engine demonstrates a remarkable 10% improvement in efficiency over the Trent XWB, the world’s most efficient large aero-engine currently in service. The company’s leadership hails the technology as a game-changer for the industry, holding the potential to transform engine performance and contribute to the ultimate goal of achieving net-zero flight by 2050.
Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic describes the UltraFan demonstrator as history in the making, emphasizing that the tested technologies have the capability to enhance both current and future engine models. The tests were conducted at the Testbed 80 facility in Sinfin, where the demonstrator was powered solely by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) derived from sustainable feedstocks like used cooking oils.
The UltraFan project, which received support from the UK government, has been a decade in the making since its public unveiling in 2014. Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch commends the cutting-edge technology for advancing the transition to a greener aviation future while attracting further investment to bolster the UK’s aerospace industry and economic growth.