Rolls-Royce Will ‘Pause’ RR500 Program

Rolls-Royce has nearly completed development of its 475-shp RR500 turboshaft, but is still waiting for an aircraft manufacturer or modifier to specify the engine for a new project. Recent testing includes a 500-hour endurance run and simulated altitude trials. The engine will log about 1,000 test hours. Still to be performed is a 1,000-cycle test. Development testing is expected to be finished by the end of next month. “We will then pause the certification program,” said Rolls-Royce senior v-p of helicopters Greg Fedele, and the company will be “ready to go when the market turns around.”