Rolls’ fleet footwork

UK engineering giant Rolls-Royce expects its civil aero-engine fleet to grow sharply by the end of the decade, with a record number of customers locked into lucrative long-term maintenance and repair agreements.

The expansion in market share in the commercial aviation sector and the resulting growth in the aftermarket were key themes to emerge from the company’s AGM and the recent Paris Air Show, Rolls-Royce told its shareholders in a quarterly update on trading.

Based on last year’s level of deliveries, Rolls-Royce believes the civil engine fleet will increase by 40 per cent over the next five years, with half coming under long-term service agreements, representing an 80 per cent increase since 2004. The predictions offer further evidence that the group’s strategy of securing a profit stream from its engines for their lifetime — rather than simply selling them to customers and waving goodbye to them at the factory gate — is paying dividends.