Spirit AeroSystems has entered into an exclusive agreement with Rolls-Royce to design and build the next generation of slim-line nacelles for the company’s newest engine, the Pearl®10X. The company’s brand new, ready-for-assembly, ultra-slim nacelle improves laminar flow to improve aircraft performance and acoustic impedance. The Rolls‑Royce work is another example of Spirit’s diversification strategy to grow its presence in the business jet market.
The Pearl 10X is a powerful and efficient engine, enabling operators to travel ultra-long distances at nearly the speed of sound for outstanding airport accessibility. For production, Spirit will leverage its composite and fabrication capabilities at its Wichita facility to support the program. Spirit will provide competitive aerostructures with kits that Rolls-Royce can seamlessly install during final assembly, helping to speed up processes.
As a significant provider of engine strut and nacelle products for all kinds of aircraft, Spirit learned from its work on the BR725, a Rolls-Royce engine, to create process improvements to confidently produce the volume of nacelles required for the new Pearl 10X program. The company applied advanced digital design techniques to continue to advance the affordability of robotic manufacturing and industrialization.
