SINGAPORE - China Airlines, a Taiwan-based carrier, has signed TotalCare agreements for 36 Trent XWB engines, including 30 Trent XWB-97 and 6 Trent XWB-84, that will power 15 Airbus A350-1000 and 3 A350-900 aircraft, respectively. The A350-1000 aircraft order was announced by Airbus in 2025.

As part of the deal, China Airlines continues to select Rolls-Royce’s comprehensive TotalCare service to cover the health and maintenance of the engines. Currently, China Airlines operates a fleet of 15 Trent XWB-powered A350 aircraft, and with the addition, their total A350 fleet will reach 33.

The Trent XWB-97 has racked up more than four million engine flying hours over seven years of service. It has received the first two of its three phases of durability enhancements, which are already delivering a 60% increase in time on wing. The third phase, which will enter service in 2028, will total a doubling of time on wing in challenging environments and provide a 50% improvement in benign conditions.

Source: Rolls-Royce
Associated URL: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2026/04-02-2026-rr-signs-totalcare-agreements-with-china-airlines-for-36-trent-xwb-engines.aspx

KUCHING - AirBorneo, the newly established state owned airline in Malaysia’s Sarawak region, has announced a firm order for eight ATR turboprop aircraft as part of its plan to modernize and expand regional air services.

The announcement was made at the 2026 Singapore Airshow and reflects the airline’s transition from the former MASwings operation into a new carrier focused on strengthening connectivity across East Malaysia.

The order includes five ATR 72 600 aircraft and three ATR 42 600 aircraft, with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029. The agreement also includes options for additional aircraft, giving AirBorneo flexibility to scale its fleet as demand grows. The new turboprops will replace older aircraft currently in service, helping improve reliability, operational efficiency, and overall passenger experience on short haul regional routes.

AirBorneo plays a central role in Malaysia’s Rural Air Services network, which connects remote communities in Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan with larger population centers. These routes are often served by shorter runways and experience uneven demand, making turboprop aircraft well suited to the mission. By operating both the larger ATR 72 and the smaller ATR 42, the airline will be better positioned to match aircraft capacity to route demand while maintaining fleet commonality in training and maintenance.

Beyond maintaining essential air links for rural communities, the fleet renewal also positions AirBorneo for potential network growth over the medium term. The inclusion of additional purchase rights provides optionality to expand capacity or add new regional routes as traffic builds. Overall, the ATR order represents a strategic investment aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, improving service quality, and supporting economic and social development in underserved parts of East Malaysia.

Source: Aviation International News
Associated URL: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2026-02-02/airborneo-boosts-malaysian-regional-fleet-atr-order
Author: Charles Alcock  

LONDON - Rolls-Royce is rolling out a second phase of durability enhancements for the Trent 1000 engine following the certification of new high-pressure turbine (HPT) upgrades in late 2025. This latest update focuses on reducing the weight of the HPT blade shroud to decrease centrifugal stress on the component, while simultaneously adding advanced coatings to the blades and nozzle guide vanes. According to program manager Rachel Walker, the first set of production blades is virtually complete and will be installed in new engines during the first quarter, with the rollout for in-service engines beginning in April as powerplants undergo scheduled refurbishment.

This second phase complements an initial upgrade package, known as the XE, that entered service in November with Lufthansa. The first phase included new HPT blades with 40% more cooling capacity than their predecessors, as well as updates to the combustion system, fuel spray nozzles, and engine electronic controller software. Walker states that while the first package already more than doubled time-on-wing, the second phase is expected to improve that figure by another 30%, offering a combined increase of up to triple the original time-on-wing.

To support the upgrade program, Rolls-Royce has secured approvals from Boeing and regulators in the US and Europe, with Japanese certification expected shortly. The manufacturer has also expanded maintenance capacity in the UK, Germany, and Singapore to accommodate an additional 100 shop visits per year, alongside initiatives to reduce turn times through better parts availability. Over 50 in-service engines have already received the Phase One blades, and the company aims to complete the full rollout across the remaining fleet by the end of 2027.

The durability enhancement package is part of a larger £1 billion ($1.38 billion) investment by Rolls-Royce to improve its in-production Trent engines. While the manufacturer notes it is too early to confirm long-term performance data for the full package, Walker cites experience with the sister Trent 7000 engine as evidence for the projected longevity improvements. As of the end of 2024, Rolls-Royce had 58 Trent 1000 engines remaining in its delivery backlog.

Source: Flightglobal
Associated URL: https://www.flightglobal.com/engines/rolls-royce-readies-roll-out-of-next-trent-1000-durability-upgrade-step/166126.article