Virgin Atlantic selects Rolls for Dreamliner

Airline Virgin Atlantic’s new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines.

Virgin Atlantic will take delivery of 15 Dreamliners from 2011 and has an option on another 8. The order for Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines is worth around $2.6bn and includes 15 installed engines and four spare engines.

“Virgin Atlantic has chosen the cleanest possible engines for its more fuel-efficient future with the 787 Dreamliner. Rolls-Royce engines will help us cut emissions per flight by nearly 30% as we pursue our goal to become the most sustainable airline in the world,” says Virgin Atlantic president, Sir Richard Branson.

The airline is also forming a new environmental partnership with Rolls-Royce to try to cut fuel burn and carbon emissions. “Working together to address environmental issues is an aspect of our relationship where we share a common agenda, and we’re excited by the challenge,” comments Rolls-Royce North America president and CEO, James M Guyette.

Virgin Atlantic claims the Roll-Royce Trent powered 787-9 Dreamliner will burn 27% less fuel than the Airbus A340-300 currently in its fleet, and achieve an equivalent reduction in carbon emissions per passenger. The airline says that people living close to airports will also benefit as the noise footprint of the Dreamliner is 60% smaller than that of the A340-300.

There are currently 38 aircraft in Virgin’s fleet, a mix of Airbus A340-300s and 340-600s and Boeing 747-400s. The airline claims to be the only one that gives passengers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from their flights while they are onboard.

Last month Virgin Atlantic became the first airline in the world to fly a plane using biofuel when a Boeing 747-400 powered by babassu nuts from the Amazon rainforest and coconuts from the Philippines flew from Heathrow airport to Amsterdam.

Written by: Nick Purdom