Rolls-Royce is celebrating its 60th anniversary in business aviation. In 1958 the Dart-powered Gulfstream I took its first flight, and the company has continued to support the industry right up to the present day with the recent EASA certification of the Pearl 15, which will power the Global 5500 and 6500. Today around 3,000 business aircraft with Rolls-Royce powerplants are in service worldwide, and the manufacturer has delivered more than 7,000 business aviation engines in total.

The company is also expanding its global network of authorised service centres for its CorporateCare customers. The global ASC network forms an essential component of Rolls-Royce’s services portfolio for business aircraft and adds to its own existing global aftermarket capabilities. Rolls-Royce now has 76 ASCs in place with key maintenance providers worldwide allowing for rapid response times. The infrastructure of the ASCs is complemented by on-wing specialists in the USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia as well as a number of spare parts, lease engine and storage locations placed strategically around the world.

“Rolls-Royce is a true pioneer of business aviation, always pushing at the very boundaries of technology to underpin our position as the number one engine manufacturer in this market," says business aviation director Dirk Geisinger. "Our recently launched Pearl family of engines and our IntelligentEngine vision will ensure we retain our leading position for another generation.

“Our customers aren't just buying an aircraft, they are buying a time machine. The aircraft is a powerful tool that helps to save their most precious commodity – time. And they count on us to deliver, with reliable, clean and best-in-class products.”

The OEM pioneered the power-by-the-hour concept in 1962, providing a complete engine and accessory replacement service for the first time on a fixed cost per flying hour basis. This aligned the interests of the manufacturer and operator, who only paid for engines that performed well.

The programme has been further developed over the years and formed the basis of the CorporateCare service, launched in 2002, which allows operators to remove risk related to unscheduled maintenance events and makes maintenance costs predictable and easy to plan for. CorporateCare features engine health monitoring, which tracks on-wing performance using onboard sensors, and is supported by a global network of authorised service centres, specialists and strategically placed storage and spare parts locations in order to swiftly resolve AOGs.

The latest additions to the ASC network include West Star Aviation with its US site in East Alton, Illinois, supporting the BR710A2. The Gulfstream St Louis service centre in Cahokia, Illinois, also becomes a new member of the network, servicing BR710A1/C4, BR725 and Tay 611-8/8C series engines. Rolls-Royce is also renewing its contract with Metrojet Limited, Hong Kong, supporting the BR710A1/A2/C4, BR725 and Tay 611-8/8C series engines.

VP of services for business aviation Andy Robinson states: “Our powerful network of ASCs with key maintenance providers worldwide ensures that we deliver outstanding levels of in-service support. We make sure our growing customer base can always rely on our streamlined administration and reduced maintenance times.

“With the newly introduced CorporateCare Enhanced standard we are covering an even wider range of service items for our engines, including maintenance for the nacelle, engine build-up and thrust reverser unit-related services for the Pearl 15, BR710 and BR725.

Geisinger adds: “As innovators we can't stand still. Our team is working hard to sTay ahead of the competition by developing innovative products and services that are leading the way and offer substantial benefits to our customers. Whatever the future in business aviation might look like, be it supersonic flight, vertical take-off and landing, electrically driven solutions or hybrid planes, we keep pioneering the power that matters, looking forward to the next 60 years as a leading force."