Rolls-Royce has been awarded certification for its higher efficiency and thrust "package C" variant of the Trent 1000 engine that will power the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

The type certification, from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), comes as Rolls-Royce prepares to power the first test flight of the Boeing 787-9.

The engine, certified to 74,000lb take-off thrust, will power the first Boeing 787-9 to enter service with Air New Zealand in 2014 and will also power the 787-8.

A further upgrade to the engine, the Trent 1000-TEN (Thrust, Efficiency and New technology) will enter service in 2016. The engine will be certified to 78,000lb thrust and capable of powering all variants of the Boeing 787, including the recently launched 787-10. 

John Griffiths, Rolls-Royce, Programme Director – Trent 1000, said: "Certification is another milestone in an ongoing Trent 1000 programme that will deliver the best engine for the next member of the 787 Dreamliner family. We look forward to working closely with Boeing to achieve 787-9 first flight soon."

The Trent 1000 is already the quietest and most efficient engine option for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The engine, the first to power the 787 into service in 2011, has delivered a dispatch reliability of better than 99.9% - a record for a wide body aircraft engine.