Rolls Royce engines to power Virgin Dreamliners

Virgin Atlantic has selected Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines to power its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft fleet. The £1.3 billion deal, announced by Virgin Chairman Richard Branson in New York, includes 15 sets of installed Derby-built engines which will be delivered in 2011. Virgin currently uses General Electric engines on its Boeing 747 jumbos, so this is a big win for the UK engine maker.

Branson said the Rolls Royce engines would help cut emissions by nearly 30% per flight, which equates to an equivalent reduction in carbon emissions per passenger.

Virgin has 15 firm orders for 787s, worth £1.4 billion, plus further eight options and 20 purchase rights. Deliveries are due from 2011, but may be delayed as Boeing struggles to put the first few 787s together for test flights.