The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Why No Engine Other Than One Can Power Airbus' Most Fuel-Efficient Widebody
GE refused to build an engine for the A350-1000 because it would compete with the 777. That handed Rolls-Royce the whole program.
Airbus has always equipped the A350 family with a single engine option since the model’s introduction, across more than a decade of production and 60-plus airline customers.
The current engine supplier for all A350s has been Rolls-Royce, with no operator able to select an alternative engine type for this aircraft family.
Simple Flying notes the situation contrasts with other widebody programs, such as the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner, which offer customers a choice between General Electric and Rolls-Royce engines.
Delta Air Lines’ SEC filing highlights the A350’s single-engine arrangement as a notable shift away from Airbus’s earlier aircraft where multiple engine options existed.
The reason given for the lack of an alternative engine centerpieces on the A350 stems from GE’s decision not to pursue an engine for the A350-1000, as it would have competed with Boeing’s 777, effectively handing the program to Rolls-Royce.