Rolls-Royce2026 Outlook: It’s back in large engines; can it get back into the Single Aisle as well?

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By Bjorn Fehrm

January 29, 2026, © Leeham News: Rolls-Royce has posted a string of increasing profits over the last few years after a tough period that started in 2017, when its Trent 1000 engines on ANA’s Boeing 787s developed a turbine-corrosion problem, cutting time on wing to a fraction of what it should be. These turbine problems escalated into a global issue, affecting all Trent 1000-equipped 787s.

The Trent 1000 on Boeing’s 787 has since experienced a series of problems, beginning with the need to replace turbine blades, followed by compressor vibration that required replacing blades on the intermediate compressor. Engines must be removed from the wing to remove the turbine and compressor blades during engine overhaul, which has resulted in Rolls-Royce 787 aircraft being grounded for periods.

The result has been a dwindling market share for the 787, with the competing engine OEM, GE, now claiming an 78% market share for its GEnx-1B engine, and charges to the busines for the cost to fix the problems for the airlines.

The drama surrounding the 787 was not expected. The Rolls-Royce RB211-535 had been the best engine on the Boeing 757 (versus Pratt & Whitney’s PW2040), and on the Airbus A330, the Trent 700 has a dominant market share versus GE’s CF6 and Pratt & Whitney’s PW4000, as it offers solid performance and maturity.

To add to injury, a former management had decided that the Single Aisle market was too small a fish for Rolls-Royce and exited the cooperation with Pratt & Whitney for the A320/A321 V2500 in 2011. The aftermarket income from spares for the V2500 began to decline as the Trent 1000 kept 787s on the ground and COVID-19 hit. When COVID hit in 2020, Rolls-Royce struggled with losses because of these engine problems and strategic mistakes.