Rolls-Royce has successfully started the flight test campaign in the USA for its latest aero engine for the business aviation market with a Pearl 10X on the company’s dedicated Boeing 747 flying testbed. The engine has been selected by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault to exclusively power its brand-new aircraft, the Falcon 10X.

The start of flight testing is an important milestone for the Pearl 10X programme and for Rolls-Royce as it focuses on growing in the business aviation market. The Pearl 10X is the latest member of the Pearl engine family and the first Rolls-Royce engine ever to power a Dassault business jet.

From a base in Tucson, Arizona, pilots and flight test engineers will ‘put the engine through its paces’ over the coming months. The flight test programme will include engine performance and handling checks at various speeds and altitudes, inflight relights, tests of the nacelle’s anti-icing system, and fan vibration tests.

So far, the development programme on the ground has included the rigorous testing of the new ultra-low emissions ALM combustor, which is compatible with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the new accessory gearbox, which allows for higher additional power extraction. The engine, which surpassed its target thrust levels on the very first test run, will be the most powerful business aviation engine in the Rolls-Royce portfolio.

The Pearl 10X features the Advance2 engine core, and combines it with a high-performance low-pressure system, resulting in a thrust of more than 18,000lbf. Compared to the last generation of Rolls-Royce business aviation engines, the Pearl 10X offers a 5% higher efficiency, while delivering ‘outstanding low noise and emissions performance’.

Rolls-Royce says this combination will enable customers and operators to have premium airport accessibility and fly ultra-long-range connections, while also being able to travel close to the speed of sound.