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Virgin aims to cut emissions with new engine order
A $2.6 billion order for engines to power new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners has been placed by Virgin Atlantic.
The carrier has also struck an “environmental partnership†with manufacturer Rolls Royce to work together to reduce fuel burn and engine emissions.
Virgin has selected 15 sets Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines and four spares for its confirmed 787 order and further power units for the options and purchase rights on a further 28 aircraft.
The airline has 15 firm orders for 787s plus and further eight options and 20 purchase rights. Deliveries are due from 2011.
The 787-9, which can carry up to 290 passengers depending on the bed or seat layout, brings a “step change†in aviation and will substantially reduce the industry’s impact on the environment, Virgin and Boeing claim.
The Trent-powered Dreamliner will burn 27% less than an A340-300, which equates to an equivalent reduction in carbon emissions per passenger.
Its design, with over half of the aircraft built from composite materials, helps to reduce fuel burn and carbon emissions significantly.
The noise footprint is claimed to be 60% smaller than the Airbus A340-300.
The airline’s president Sir Richard Branson said: “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% and become the most sustainable airline in the world as we pursue our goal to become the most sustainable airline in the world.
“Our new environmental partnership will also bring major benefits to the
aviation industry, as we work together to deliver enabling us to work together on researching and developing the most efficient engines in the sky, and continuously improving the fuel burn of our fleet of aircraft.â€
by Phil Davies
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