Rolls-Royce is talking up the possibility of a new generation of turboprop-powered aircraft replacing a substantial proportion of today's narrowbody jets.
The manufacturer believes high oil prices are likely to drive airframers to sacrifice cruise speed for economics.
"The TP400 engine [for the Airbus A400M military transport] is a very efficient propulsion system," R-R director engineering and technology, Colin Smith, says. "There is a very sound argument to be made for the majority of the 150-seat market, which flies mostly for less than 1.5h [being turboprop-powered]...if somebody does want a high-efficiency turboprop then have we got one for you."
"All we know is that a lot of people who currently fly around in 150-seat aircraft will need transporting in the future. Is that going to be in a single-aisle or twin-aisle? There are plenty of persuasive arguments about what that will be.
"What is the range of this thing? A thousand miles [1,600km] or 3,000 miles leads to fundamentally different machines."
Rolls-Royce promotes turboprop solution for new civil airliners
