Not forgetting of course that the weight of the RB211 includes the complete pod. The CF6 and PW4000 the thrust reversers are a boeing part and stay with the airframe.
Reference the fan blades. RR got it wrong as the technology at the time was woefully inadequate. Some 30 years later composite knowledge had come on leaps and bounds and the GE90 composite fan blade is excellent albeit with a titanium leading and trailing edge and titanium in the root BUT it is heavier compared to the Trent Titanium blade and in something of a backward step the -115 blade is susceptible to birdstrike damage. As for maintenance I much prefer the RR (all varieties of the 211)as they are so simple.
One thing the RR motor has always been good at performance retention over its lifetime. The hightime engine achieved over 40k hours on wing. The mount bolts still had the boeing seal on them when it was eventually pulled for overhaul.
Last edited by gas path; 12th Mar 2011 at 17:39.