Derby’s Rolls-Royce says it has completed more than 3,000 hours of tests on its new Pearl 700 engine.
The new engines have been/technology/rolls-royce-strikes-17bn-euro-21690791
, including bird strikes and cold start temperatures, where fuel takes on the viscosity of honey.
The British engineering giant said the engine performed equally well in hot conditions, successfully completing long, high power endurance runs and high-cycle tests, and successfully demonstrating that it can run on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The chemical and physical characteristics of sustainable aviation fuel – which is produced from sources such as cooking oil, plant oils, municipal waste, waste gases, and agricultural residues – are almost identical to conventional jet fuel and can be safely mixed with it.
It can also use the same supply infrastructure and does not need aircraft or engines to be adapted.
Rolls-Royce said unblended it has the potential to reduce net CO2 emissions by more than 75 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel, with the possibility of further reductions in future.
The Pearl 700 tests are precursors to gaining certification for the engine, which is the latest business aviation engine in development.
Most Read
The flight test programme started in February 2020, using a fleet of five dedicated flight-test aircraft and one production-test aircraft.
Rolls Royce said the engines were performing “exceptionally well” and had already powered Gulfstream’s new flagship aircraft the G700 beyond its maximum operating speed and cruise altitude, flying nearly as fast as the speed of sound – Mach 0.99, or 1,220 kmh.
The aircraft reached an altitude of 54,000ft.
Usually the G700 has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 and a maximum cruise altitude of 51,000 ft, which allows it to fly above commercial air traffic and bad weather.
During its first international visits to the Middle East and Europe the aircraft set two city pair speed records and a third speed record on its return trip to the United States.
Dr Dirk Geisinger, director of business aviation, for Rolls-Royce, said: “Seeing the Pearl 700 programme running at such a fast pace makes me really proud of the team behind it.
“In addition to the extensive ground testing, the flight test campaign is progressing exceptionally well.
Don’t miss
“Today, it stands at more than 3,000 engine flying hours from more than 2,000 engine flights and with the G700 test aircraft fleet in the air these numbers are increasing daily.
“The pioneering technology and the outstanding performance of the Pearl 700 supports Gulfstream’s business aircraft in reaching new standards for the top end of the ultra-long-range corporate jet market.”
Rolls-Royce says the Pearl 700 is more efficient than similar engines, with a low pressure system that results in more take-off thrust, a better thrust-to-weight ratio and 5 per cent more efficiency.
Development work is being done in Germany.