Rolls-Royce Boosts Trent Engine Deliveries in 2024 as Widebody Demand and Aftermarket Surge

Rolls-Royce, Aerospace

Strong Performance in Civil Aerospace Despite Supply Chain Constraints; Trent Flying Hours Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels

Rolls-Royce Engine Deliveries Rise 16% in 2024, Driven by Demand for Widebody Aircraft

UK-based Rolls-Royce delivered 278 Trent large engines in 2024, up from 262 in 2023, as demand for widebody aircraft remained strong. Including small civil engines, total deliveries reached 529 units, marking a 16% year-on-year increase and aligning with the firm’s guidance of 500–550 units.

The Trent series continues to power key widebody platforms: the XWB-84 and XWB-97 for the Airbus A350, the Trent 7000 for the A330neo, and the Trent 1000 for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. Rolls-Royce delivered 47 Trent 1000s, 109 Trent XWB-84s, 36 XWB-97s, and 86 Trent 7000s in 2024.

Aftermarket Services and Flying Hours Fuel Profit Growth

Long-term service agreement (LTSA) shop visits rose 7% to 1,313 last year, reflecting resurgent global air travel. Notably, large engine flying hours reached 103% of 2019 levels, up from 88% the prior year.

This supported a sharp rise in earnings, with civil aerospace revenue up 24% year-on-year to £9.04 billion ($11.46 billion). Operating profit surged 79% to £1.5 billion, with £5.93 billion in aftermarket revenue, of which £4.3 billion came from large engines—up one-third from 2023.

Engine Upgrades and 2025 Outlook Signal Further Growth

Rolls-Royce completed flight testing of a new high-pressure turbine (HPT) blade for the Trent 1000 TEN, with certification expected soon. Further design upgrades for the Trent 1000 and 7000 engines aim to improve time-on-wing by 30%, with testing scheduled for April 2025.

Looking ahead, Rolls-Royce forecasts 540–570 engine deliveries and 1,400–1,500 shop visits for 2025, with large engine flying hours expected to reach 110–115% of 2019 levels. However, growth in original equipment deliveries remains tied to Airbus’s A350 and A330neo ramp-up.

Airbus recently cited supplier issues at Spirit AeroSystems as a limiting factor for its A350 production, delaying the freighter variant's entry into service. Meanwhile, A330neo output has stabilized at four units per month.