Rolls-Royce, Synergy announce $800M engine deal

On February 13, Rolls-Royce announced an agreement with Synergy Aerospace, part of the Synergy Group Corp. of South America, for Trent XWB engines to power its next-generation widebody fleet of 10 firm and up to 10 option A350 XWB aircraft, due for delivery from 2015.

The business has a potential value of $880 million at engine list prices.

Synergy Aerospace is a holding company for three airlines - Avianca in Colombia, OceanAir in Brazil and Vipsa in Ecuador.

German Efromovich, President of Synergy Group Corp. said: “Synergy Aerospace has important growth plans and requires next-generation equipment to ensure maximum operational capability, lowest costs and highest customer satisfaction. We are confident that the Trent XWB will help achieve this.”

Chris Cyr, Executive Vice President - Americas at Rolls-Royce, added: “This order further strengthens our relationship with Synergy and its subsidiaries. The Trent series will provide Synergy with unparalleled performance and reliability.”

In June 2007 Avianca, the Colombian flag carrier, placed an order for 10 Trent 700 powered A330-200s and 10 firm plus 10 option Boeing 787-8s with Trent 1000 engines.

The Trent XWB will be the fifth Rolls-Royce engine type operated by a Synergy subsidiary. Other applications include the RB211-535-powered Boeing 757, operated by Avianca and OceanAir; the Tay-powered Fokker 100; the Trent 1000 for the 787 Dreamliner, which enters service in 2010, and Trent 700-powered Airbus A330, scheduled to go into service later this year.

About Synergy Group Corp.

The Synergy Group Corp. is a well established South American multi-national conglomerate with enterprises in aerospace, energy, oil and gas and marine businesses in several Latin American countries. The company owns Synergy Aerospace which has economic interests in Brazil’s Oceanair, Ecuador’s Vipsa and Colombia’s Avianca, the first airline founded in the Americas.

About Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce has a successful and growing presence in South America and is playing a pivotal role in the development of this important region. The Rolls-Royce Brazil overhaul facility in São Paulo has served the region for over 50 years.

The Trent XWB is available in a range of thrusts from 74,000 to 92,000 lb. A single engine type will power all versions of the A350 XWB. By the time the Trent XWB enters service, Trent series engines will have accumulated more than 75 million flying hours.

Final engine configuration and selection of technologies are scheduled for completion by mid-2008. The first Trent XWB will be ground tested in 2010. In 2011, the engine will make its maiden flight on a flying test bed, followed by airworthiness certification and first flight on the A350 XWB in 2012.

Rolls-Royce is working hard to improve the environmental impact of its products. Each year Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with its partners, invests over £800 million on research and development, two thirds of which has the objective of reducing the environmental impact of its products. The primary technology investment area is aimed at reducing noise and emissions.