By  Dai Yan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-09-19 17:25

China will still be the largest aircraft and engine buyer in the world two decades from now, according to a market outlook report released by Rolls-Royce today.

The British jet engine supplier released the latest Rolls-Royce Market Outlook at the press conference at the Beijing International Aviation Expo being held from September 19 to 22.

With the average annual growth of passenger traffic expected to reach 8.8 percent or higher, Chinese airlines will need more than 3,100 new airplanes in the next 20 years, according to the report. It will create a large demand of 6,600 engines, worth more than US$65 billion.

Rolls-Royce also said the Asia-Pacific market is expected to need 26,000 new engines in the next 20 years, of which 46 percent will be high-thrust engines that power twin-aisle wide body aircraft.

Asia is the key market for new aircraft in the 400-plus seat category, with aircraft of this size expected to account for 55 percent of deliveries in the region, it said.

The company added that global demand over the next two decades will require 60,000 new civil aircraft, providing a market opportunity for 132,000 engines, totaling 700 billion pounds.

These engines will create an additional after service business of around US$550 billion over their in-service life.

Rolls Royce also said it is ready to launch its newest Trent engines on the Airbus A350 XWB, the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380.

The Trent 1000 engine, having been prepared for use on the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" later this year, will also power Air China's 15 Boeing 787 and is due to enter service on that plane model next year.

China Southern Airlines, the only mainland customer for the A380, has also chosen the Trent 900 engine, Rolls Royce said.

Currently 10 Chinese airlines operate jets powered by Rolls Royce's engines. Cathay Pacific Airways received the 100th planes powered by the Trent engine in Greater China last year.