Rolls-Royce Plans 'Smooth' Pearl 15 Ramp Up

Rolls-Royce is ready to proceed with production of its new Pearl 15 turbofan that powers Bombardier’s new Global 6500 and 5500 twinjets following FAA certification of the engine on December 20, marking a major milestone for Rolls-Royce’s Pearl family.

This family also includes the Pearl 700 that will power Gulfstream’s new G700, plans of which were unveiled at NBAA-BACE in October.

“We have completed all the preparations for our manufacturing processes to support Bombardier’s production rates and our new 24/7 Business Aviation Availability Centre is ready to support the Pearl 15’s smooth entry into service,” Rolls-Royce spokesman Stefan Wriege told AIN today. “The Pearl 15 production line has been set up and engines will be assembled in parallel to the BR710s and BR725s in Dahlewitz, Germany.”

FAA certification of the Pearl 15, designated as BR700-710D5-21, builds upon certification the engine has already received from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Transport Canada. Developed at the Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines in Dahlewitz where Rolls-Royce employs more than 3,000 workers, the Pearl 15 features the same nacelle envelope as its predecessor, the BR710, but is more powerful with a maximum certified thrust of 15,250 pounds and up to 7 percent better fuel burn. It also is quieter by 2 decibels and shows a 20 percent improvement in nitrogen oxide emissions.

The Pearl also comes equipped with a new-generation engine health monitoring system with advanced vibration detection, remote engine diagnostics, and bi-directional communications that allow for easy remote reconfiguration of engine-monitoring features from the ground.