Insider Media Limited

Derby-based Rolls-Royce has won a contract to supply Trent 900 engines to power six Airbus A380 aircraft for Asiana Airlines. The order is the first for the engine system since last year's failure on a Qantas A380 passenger jet. The deal, which was made for an undisclosed sum, includes a TotalCare long-term service agreement.

Asiana Airlines, based in Seoul, South Korea, will take delivery of the aircraft in 2014. They will be the airline’s first Rolls-Royce powered aircraft to enter service. Asiana Airlines has previously ordered Trent XWB engines for its fleet.

Yong Wook Lee, senior vice president legal affairs and purchasing, Asiana Airlines, said: “This contract, to power a significant addition to our fleet, strengthens our important relationship with Rolls-Royce. The Trent 900 will offer us economic benefits and will be combined with TotalCare support that will maximise the reliability of our Airbus A380s.”

Jim Sheard, Rolls-Royce senior vice president – civil aerospace, said: “We are very pleased that Asiana has put their trust in Trent 900 technology that will deliver significant operational and environmental benefits.

"This confirms the Trent 900 as the true market leader and engine of choice for the majority of A380 operators and marks a further deepening of our relationship with Asiana Airlines as we work to support their fleet expansion.”

Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines have now been selected to power the Airbus A380 by ten out of 15 airlines.

In Rolls-Royce’s year-end results, which were released last month, it was revealed that the the failure of one if its superjumbo engines cost the company £56m. Rolls-Royce said underlying pre-tax profit of its civil aerospace division had dropped from £493m in 2009 to £392m in 2010.

However, the wider group experienced some growth, with underlying pre-tax profits up 4 per cent to £955m.