Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines have powered the successful first test flight of the Boeing 787-9, the second member of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner family.

The aircraft took off from Seattle at 11.02am and returned at 4.18pm, local time, September 17.

It continues a series of firsts for the Trent 1000, which powered the first test flight of the 787-8 in December 2009 and that aircraft’s entry into service in October 2011. The engine will also power the 787-9 entry into service in 2014, with Air New Zealand.

John Griffiths, Rolls-Royce, Programme Director - Trent 1000, said: “We congratulate Boeing on this latest milestone in the 787 Dreamliner story and look forward to supporting  a rigorous flight-test programme ahead of the 787-9’s entry into service. The flight was powered by a higher-thrust version of our Trent 1000 engine, offering additional advantages for Dreamliner operators.”

A further engine upgrade, the Trent 1000-TEN (Thrust, Efficiency and New technology), is being developed and will enter service in 2016. The engine will contribute to the industry-leading economics of the recently-launched Boeing 787-10, which will use at least 25 per cent less fuel than any other aircraft of its size. The Trent 1000-TEN will be an option on all Boeing 787 variants.

Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.

Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 300 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 Armed Forces, over 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries.