Rolls Royce Dart

Rolls Royce Dart

Fields Airmotive is an experienced maintenance, repair and overhaul centre for all models of Rolls Royce Dart turboprop engine. In July 1978 Field Aviation entered into a technical assistance agreement with Rolls Royce for the RR Dart engine, thus starting a long and fruitful relationship on this engine type. Fields Airmotive is now one of the top RR Dart facilities worldwide with customers in Canada and throughout Africa. Listening to customers and focus on customer service are our hallmarks. We are experienced at tailoring shop visit outcomes to meet our Rolls Royce Dart customer requirements

By delivering value-for-money, high quality services, Fields Airmotive has earned an unrivaled reputation for leadership, excellence and as always been repair rather than replacement of expensive components. Fields Airmotive cost effective repair and overhaul processes, together with life assessment and preventative maintenance which will optimise your individual shop visit costs and improve the reliability of your engines, decreasing long-term cost of ownership

In addition to repair and overhaul, Fields Airmotive specialises in Time Between Overhaul extensions with the embodiment of RR SB Da70-15 Appendix 1 and 2, with the possibility of 5 yenormal 15 year TBO, depending on your engine's current status

Fields Airmotive's on site Schenck D3300-1e Dynamometer engine test facility takes all marks of Rolls Royce Dart engines, with full reporting and analysis capability. All work is performed in accordance with Rolls-Royce standard practices and in accordance with approved revised OEM technical documentation. Fields Airmotive capability includes:

  • Non-Destructive Testing
  • Liquid penetrant, Magnetic particle
  • Eddycurrent and Conductivity inspection
  • Ultrasonic & Radiographic inspection
  • Borescope
  • Blasting Machines
  • Plastic Media, Dry Aluminium Oxide
  • Vapour Blast, Glass Bead, Shot Peen
  • Electroplating
  • Cadmium Plate, Nickel Plate
  • Copper Plate, Chrome Plate
  • Chromic Acid Anodising
  • Silver Plate, Nickel Cadmium Plating
  • Welding
  • TIG Welding Machines
  • Oxy-Acytelene Welding

Shipping of RR Dart Engine to Fields

The majority of RR Dart engines serviced are air freighted from locations around the world to OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg). On arrival in OR Tambo the engine is then transported by air ride suspension truck for 30 minutes, via highway, to the Fields Airmotive facility.

These engine and transport stand shipment details are approx:
Gross weight: 811 kg
Shipping dimension: 233 X 113 X 125 cm
Vol. Weight: 549 Kg
Cubic Meters: 3.291
Transport stands are available for loan, if required.

Customers may also fly their aircraft to the Fields Airmotive hangar facility, where the engine will be removed by our staff. The aircraft will remain enclosed in a hangar at all times, while the engine is undergoing maintenance in the adjacent workshop.

The RR Dart Engine

Fields first signed a technical assistance agreement in 1978 with Rolls Royce but South Africa's association with the RR Dart goes back further in time, to the early development days of this iconic engine. The original RR Dart design team of 1946 was lead by the South African University of Cape Town graduate Lionel Haworth, who was also responsible of RR early jets such as the WR1 and RCA3. With over 7,100 Dart Engines having being produced, Fields Airmotive is proud to continue this RR Dart South African tradition, as one of the last few remaining RR Dart overhaul shops in the world.

RR DART EASA Type Data Certificate
Fokker F27

Fokker F27

Type Certificate | Noise Certificate

HS748

BAE HS748

Type Certificate | Noise Certificate

Gulfstream G1

Gulfstream G1

Type Certificate

NAMC YS-11

NAMC YS-11

Type Certificate

RR Dart Overview

Two stage centrifugal compressors, three stage turbine
Utilises water methanol injection to increase the shaft horsepower
Maximum Diameter: 0.96 m      Length: 2.49 m      Weight: 629 Kg

The Rolls Royce RB.53 "Dart" is one of the most successful early turboprop engines built by Rolls-Royce in the UK. In 1943, Rolls-Royce experimented with a turbine engine driving a propeller. This led to test flights of the RB53 (later named Dart) in a Lancaster bomber in 1947. To reduce weight, the reduction gearbox was redesigned and the oil tank was made integral with the air intake housing. The engine was chosen to power the Vickers Viscount airliner, which became the first turbine-powered airliner in the world when it entered service in 1950. Initial Dart engines in 1946 produced 990 hp; final versions exceeded 3,400 hp (2535 kW). Approximately 7,100 engines were produced. Main engine marks: RDa7 & RDa10.

Designations:
RDa.1 – 1,250 shp + 300lb residual thrust
RDa.2 – Initial production
RDa.3 – 1,480 hp
RDa.6 – 1,670 hp
RDa.7 – 1,815 hp
RDa.7/1 – 1,910 hp
RDa.7/2 – 2,020 hp
RDa.7/2 Mk.529 – 2,100 hp
RDa.10 – 2,555 hp
RDa.10/1 – 3,030–3,245 hp
Mk.506 (RDa.3), Mk.510, Mk.511, Mk.514 (RDa.6), Mk.520 (RDa.7), Mk.525, Mk.526, Mk.527, Mk.528, Mk.529, Mk.530, Mk.531 (RDa.7/2), Mk.551, Mk.552 (RDa.7), Mk.540 (RDa.10), Mk.542 (RDa.10/1)

Aircraft Applications:
Vickers Viscount, Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy, Avro 748, Fokker F-27, Handley-Page Dart Herald, Grumman Gulfstream 1, NAMC YS-11, and Convair 640.

Milestones:
1945: Dart Design started      1960: HS748 first flight
1946: First test bed run         1962: YS-11 first flight
1947: First flight on Lancaster      1983: 100 million hours in service
1955: Fokker F27 first flight      1986: Last Dart produced
1956: RDa6 in service      1991: 120 million hours in service
1958: RDa7/F27 in service      1992: British Airways ends Dart ops
1959: Gulfstream 1 in service      2018: Still in operation worldwide

Shipping of RR Dart Engine to Fields

Aviation approvals held by Fields Airmotive's Rand Airport facility for engines are

Engine OEM Model Airworthiness Authority Approval Held
Rolls Royce Dart
Up to and including Overhaul		 South Africa Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number 0143
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number K/AMO/F/103
DRC Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number AAC.05-3.25
Pratt & Whitney JT3 South Africa Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number 0143
DRC Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number AAC.05-3.26
Pratt & Whitney PT6 DRC Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number AAC.05-3.25
CFM 56 South Africa Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number 0143
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number K/AMO/F/103
DRC Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number AAC.05-3.26
Garrett TPE331 DRC Civil Aviation Authority Approval Number AAC.05-3.25