One of Heli-Expo’09’s worst-kept secrets, the Rolls-Royce RR500 turboshaft engine, was unveiled Monday afternoon in a brief but hearing-impairment-inducing ceremony at the engine maker’s booth. The RR500 turboshaft, a 475-shp derivative of the RR300 that powers the in-development Robinson R66, is scheduled for certification in late 2011. A turboprop version of the RR500 was first announced last summer at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. Turboshaft RR500 deliveries are pegged to begin in the first quarter of 2012.
Concurrently, Rolls-Royce announced signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Polish airframer PZL-Swidnik to discuss future applications of the new RR500 engine family. While it has not identified specific mounts for the RR500 turboshaft, a company spokesperson said, “A whole range of OEMs” are in discussion regarding RR500 applications with announcements likely “soon.”
