OREANDA-NEWS. May 23, 2016. Rolls-Royce today congratulated Air China as it became China’s first operator of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, powered by the Trent 1000 engine.

The aircraft took off from Boeing’s Delivery Centre in North Charleston, SC, USA, and landed at the Beijing Capital International Airport, China, where it was greeted by Air China’s ground crew and enthusiastic aviation fans.

Rolls-Royce was the first to power both the Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. Since then the Trent 1000 engine has accumulated 1.7 million flying hours with 12 customers, demonstrating excellent reliability and robustness in demanding operational requirements.

Paul Freestone, SVP, Greater China Customer Team, Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: “We are proud to join the celebration of the delivery of the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to China. It represents a significant landmark in the growth of Air China’s widebody fleet. We’re confident that this excellent aircraft and its Trent 1000 engines will provide many years of reliable service to Chinese operators.”

Air China selected the Trent 1000 engines to power its Boeing 787-9 fleet last year. The order also included long-term TotalCare® support. The Trent 1000 is the only engine designed exclusively for the Boeing 787 aircraft family.