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GV INT Fitters working on RB 211 engines at Rolls-Royce Plant, Derby (2 shots)
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SV (TRACKING SHOT) along RB211 engine and fitters
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CU Engine Fan blades. PULL OUT TO SV Engine being checked.
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GV Maintenance engineer working on the RB211 engine in TriStar aircraft.
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GV Trans World Airlines TriStar takes off powered by the RB211 engine.



The order will help the RB 211 hold its position as Britain's largest aviation export programme. RB211's power all versions of the Lockheed TriStar airliner, as well as Boeing's long range 747s. Versions of the RB211 are also being offered for the new generation of medium sized airliners, which will be introduced in the 1980's. The Dash 524 version of the RB 211 gives 48,000 1bs thrust at take off.




Initials EP/1915



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The British Rolls-Royce company has won a big order from the United States, which could eventually be wroth 500 million dollars. On Tuesday (4 April) Pan American World Airlines decided to buy 12 Lockheed ten-eleven TriStar wide-body jets equipped with Rolls-Royce engines, and the deal included an option to buy 14 more TriStars. It marked a major breakthrough for the British aviation industry in the United States market, and it will also help push the unprofitable TriStar production line to break even point. The aircraft to be delivered in 1980 and 1981 will be used to replace some of Pan American's ageing fleet of Boeing 707's.

SYNOPSIS: The RB 211-524B engines are manufactured at the Rolls-Royce plant in Derby, and Pan American's chairman, William T. Sewwell, said they had been chosen because of their technical superiority.

Sir Kenneth Keith, chairman of Rolls-Royce described the deal as a triumph for the RB211 engine. Informed sources said that Pan American, originally considered replacing all its 707's with 747's but decided to buy a smaller plane to allow flexibility and economy on more lightly travelled routes. The sources said the decision had been delayed because of a battle over the choice of engines. The battle centred not so much on the performance of the rival engines, as on which firm could offer the best incentives on finance, price and product support.

The RB 211-524B engine is a more powerful version of the RB211-22B, which has been in service with Trans World Airlines, Delta and Eastern since 1972.